Information transmission system, information transmission method, electric device communication device, information communication device, communication control program

ABSTRACT

An information transfer system includes an information panel which controls electrical equipment and includes a first transmission and reception section. The system also includes a server which is communicably connected via a network to the information panel and includes a second transmission and reception section and a trigger generation section which generates a communication request trigger for making a request to communicate with the information panel. The first transmission and reception section transmits information based on a UDP protocol periodically to the server, the second transmission and reception section receives the information based on the UDP protocol. When the communication request trigger is generated, the second transmission and reception section transmits request response information based on the UDP protocol or based on a TCP protocol to a transmission-origin address of the information.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an information transfer system, aninformation transfer method, an electrical-equipment communicationapparatus, an information communication apparatus and acomputer-readable recording medium with a communication control programwhich allow a server that an information provider or the like has totransfer information via an information network to an information panel,or which transfer information via the information network so that theserver can control the information panel itself, electrical equipmentconnected to the information panel or electrical equipment communicableto the information panel, or so that it can monitor their state.

2. Background of the Related Art

Conventionally, a system has been devised in which a server that aninformation provider or the like has transfers information via aninformation network (or a network) to an information panel, orinformation is transferred so that the server can control and monitorthe information panel or the like. Such a prior art is disclosed, forexample, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-300430 specification(Patent Document 1).

A cooking information system described in Patent Document 1 includes aninformation-provider server which can transmit and receive data via apredetermined communication network, a user terminal which can transmitand receive data via the communication network to and from theinformation-provider server, and a rice cooker which can transmit andreceive data to and from the user terminal. Herein, theinformation-provider server corresponds to the server according to thepresent invention, the user terminal corresponds to the informationpanel according to the present invention, and the rice cookercorresponds to the electrical equipment according to the presentinvention.

In addition, FIG. 13 shows another prior art. FIG. 13 is a blockdiagram, showing the whole configuration of a conventional informationtransfer system. A conventional information transfer system 100 shown inFIG. 13 is configured by an information panel (which corresponds to theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus in Claims) 101, and aserver (which corresponds to the information communication apparatus inClaims) 102. The information panel 101 is made up of a transmission andreception section 103. The server 102 is made up of a transmission andreception section 104, a trigger generation section 105 which generatesan information transfer request for the information panel 101 or acontrol monitoring request for the information panel 101, and a buffer106 which stores a procedure or data on information transfer, or thelike. The transmission and reception section 103 of the informationpanel 101 and the transmission and reception section 104 of the server102 are connected by an information network (or a network) 107. Theinformation network 107 is, for example, the Internet. As the triggergeneration section 105, an operation switch, a timer, a sensor, or thelike can be specifically mentioned. The buffer 106 is made up of amemory or the like.

FIG. 14 shows an information transfer procedure of the conventionalinformation transfer system 100 shown in FIG. 13. In FIG. 14,information exchanges are shown by the information panel 101, the server102 and the trigger generation section 105. Besides, reference numerals111 to 117 denote the contents of each piece of information. Herein, inFIG. 14, periodic TCPs 111, 112, 114, 117 represents information whichthe information panel 101 sends periodically based on a TCP (ortransmission control protocol) protocol. A request TCP 115 stands forrequest information which the server 102 issues periodically based onthe TCP protocol. A result TCP 116 indicates result information whichthe information panel 101 gives periodically based on the TCP protocol.

Next, using the information transfer procedure shown in FIG. 14, anoperation will be described of the conventional information transfersystem 100 shown in FIG. 13. In this prior art, the information panel101 is connected to the Internet 107. An IP address which theinformation panel 101 has is not connected to the Internet 107 through aglobal address that is constantly fixed, but connected to the Internet107 through an IP address that is sequentially switched by a provider orthe like. Therefore, the IP address of the information panel 101 is nota fixed address, and thus, the server 102 cannot become constantly awareof the IP address of the information panel 101. Hence, when a trigger isgenerated in the trigger generation section 105 of the server 102, theinformation panel 101 transmits IP address information periodically soas to inform the server 102 of the IP address of the information panel101 at the point of time. This is the periodic TCPs 111, 112, 114, 117shown in FIG. 14. In this way, the information panel 101 transmits theIP address periodically to the server 102, so that the server 102 cancertainly transfer the information to the information panel 101. Thus,it can certainly control the information panel 101 and can certainlymonitor the state of the information panel 101. When a control requesttrigger for the information panel 101 is generated in the triggergeneration section 105, the trigger generation section 105 issues acontrol request signal 113. However, at this time, the server 102 doesnot recognize the IP address of the information panel 101 at the pointof time. Therefore, it cannot issue a request signal instantly to theinformation panel 101, and then, temporarily stores, in the buffer 106,the fact that there is the control request for the information panel101. After the control request signal 113 is issued, when the server 102receives the periodic TCP 114 transferred to the server 102, the server102 can recognize the IP address of the information panel 101 at thepoint of time. Thereby, the transmission and reception section 104 ofthe server 102 can issue the request TCP 115 to the transmission andreception section 103 of the information panel 101. The informationpanel 101 which has received the request TCP 115 executes a necessaryprocessing and transmits its result as the result TCP 116 to the server102. As a result, the information transfer system 100 completes a seriesof information transfers on the control request trigger which isgenerated in the trigger generation section 105.

However, in the conventional information transfer system 100, as shownin FIG. 14, during the period of time from the generation of the controlrequest trigger to the completion of the control in the informationpanel 101 or the server 102, an additional time is required from thegeneration of the control request signal 113 to the generation of theperiodic TCP 114. If the control request signal 113 is generatedimmediately before the periodic TCP 114, such an extra time isrelatively short. However, if the control request signal 113 isgenerated shortly after the periodic TCP 112, a control delay is causedwhich corresponds to most time of the interval at which the periodicTCPs are transmitted. Hence, it is difficult to provide information orexecute control in real time. Besides, if the interval of time betweenthe periodic TCPs is shortened, the additional time can be relativelyshort. However, in this case, processing tasks in the information panel101 or the server 102 have to be more frequently performed. Hence, adisadvantage arises in that the network 107 always stays in a busystate, thus making it difficult to shorten such an interval beyond itsnecessity.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to resolve the above described disadvantages, an object of thepresent invention is to provide an information transfer system, aninformation transfer method, an electrical-equipment communicationapparatus, an information communication apparatus and acomputer-readable recording medium with a communication control programwhich are capable of shortening the interval of time from the generationof a control request in the information communication apparatus to thetransfer of information to the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus, and providing information or executing control in real time.

The objects, characteristics, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will be more obvious in the following detailed description andattached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram, showing the whole configuration of aninformation transfer system according to a first embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram, showing an information transfer procedure of theinformation transfer system according to the first embodiment shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram, more specifically showing an informationtransfer according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram, showing the whole configuration of aninformation transfer system according to a variation of the firstembodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram, showing an information transfer procedure of theinformation transfer system according to the variation of the firstembodiment shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram, more specifically showing an informationtransfer according to the variation of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram, showing the whole configuration of aninformation transfer system according to a second embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram, showing an information transfer procedure of theinformation transfer system according to the second embodiment shown inFIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram, more specifically showing an informationtransfer according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram, showing the whole configuration of aninformation transfer system according to a variation of the secondembodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram, showing an information transfer procedure of theinformation transfer system according to the variation of the secondembodiment shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram, more specifically showing an informationtransfer according to the variation of the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram, showing the whole configuration of aconventional information transfer system.

FIG. 14 is a diagram, showing an information transfer procedure of theconventional information transfer system shown in FIG. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed with reference to the drawings. Herein, in each figure, thesame configurations are given the identical reference numerals, andthus, their description is omitted.

First Embodiment

First, description will be given about the configuration of aninformation transfer system according to a first embodiment of thepresent invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram, showing the entireconfiguration of an information transfer system according to the firstembodiment. An information transfer system 10 shown in FIG. 1 isconfigured by an information panel (electrical-equipment communicationapparatus) 1, a server (information communication apparatus) 2, andelectrical equipment 3.

The information panel 1 is communicably connected to the server 2, viaan information network 4 (hereinafter, referred to as the network 4).The information panel 1 is, for example, a controller which controls theelectrical equipment 3. The information panel 1 is made up of a firsttransmission and reception section 11, a second transmission andreception section 12, a display section 13, an operation section 14, anda control section 15. Herein, the information panel 1 according to thisembodiment is a controller which controls the electrical equipment 3.However, the present invention is not limited only to this. It may alsobe, for example, a remote controller, a personal computer, a television,or the like. In addition, the information panel 1 may also control aplurality of pieces of electrical equipment, not only a single piece ofelectrical equipment.

The first transmission and reception section 11 transmits informationvia the network 4 to a transmission and reception section 21 of theserver 2. In addition, it receives information which is transmitted viathe network 4 by the transmission and reception section 21 of the server2. The second transmission and reception section 12 transmitsinformation to a transmission and reception section 31 of the electricalequipment 3, and receives information which is transmitted by thetransmission and reception section 31 of the electrical equipment 3. Thedisplay section 13 displays an operational state of the electricalequipment 3, or the like. The operation section 14 is used in the casewhere the electrical equipment 3 is operated by the information panel 1.It accepts operation information for operating the information panel 1.The control section 15 is made up, for example, of a CPU (or centralprocessing unit). It controls the first transmission and receptionsection 11, the second transmission and reception section 12, thedisplay section 13 and the operation section 14.

The server 2 is communicably connected via the network 4 to theinformation panel 1. It is made up of the transmission and receptionsection 21, a trigger generation section 22, a buffer 23, and a controlsection 24. The transmission and reception section 21 transmitsinformation via the network 4 to the first transmission and receptionsection 11 of the information panel 1. In addition, it receivesinformation which is transmitted via the network 4 by the firsttransmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1. Thefirst transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1and the transmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 isconnected by the network 4. The network 4 is, for example, the Internet.The trigger generation section 22 is made up, for example, of a switch,a timer, a sensor, or the like. It generates a communication requestsignal as a trigger which makes a request to communicate with theinformation panel 1. The buffer 23 is made up, for example, of a memoryor the like. It stores information such as a procedure and data oninformation transfer. The control section 24 is made up, for example, ofa CPU, and controls the transmission and reception section 21, thetrigger generation section 22 and the buffer 23. Herein, in thisembodiment, the server 2 may also be information equipment, such as apersonal computer, a portable terminal and a mobile phone.

Herein, a communication control program is stored in advance in anexternal storage unit inside of the information panel 1. It is used tocontrol the information panel 1 which is communicably connected via thenetwork 4 to the server 2 including the transmission and receptionsection 21 that transmits and receives information via the network 4 andthe trigger generation section 22 that generates a communication requesttrigger for making a request to communicate. Besides, the communicationcontrol program for controlling the information panel 1 may also bestored in a computer-readable recording medium which is configured by aCD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a flexible disk, or the like. In that case, using acomputer-readable record-medium drive unit which is configured by aCD-ROM drive, a DVD-ROM drive, a flexible-disk drive, or the like, thecommunication control program for controlling the information panel 1which is read out of the recording medium is installed in the externalstorage unit. In addition, if the communication control program forcontrolling the information panel 1 is stored in another computer or thelike which is connected via the network 4, the communication controlprogram for controlling the information panel 1 may also be downloadedvia the network 4 from the computer or the like.

Furthermore, a communication control program is stored beforehand in anexternal storage unit inside of the server 2. It is used to control theserver 2 which is communicably connected via the network 4 to theinformation panel 1 including the first transmission and receptionsection 11 that transmits and receives information via the network 4.Besides, the communication control program for controlling the server 2may also be stored in a computer-readable recording medium which isconfigured by a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a flexible disk, or the like. In thatcase, using a computer-readable recording medium drive unit which isconfigured by a CD-ROM drive, a DVD-ROM drive, a flexible-disk drive, orthe like, the communication control program for controlling the server 2which is read out of the recording medium is installed in the externalstorage unit. In addition, if the communication control program forcontrolling the server 2 is stored in another computer or the like whichis connected via the network 4, the communication control program forcontrolling the information panel 1 may also be downloaded, via thenetwork 4, from the computer or the like.

The electrical equipment 3 is connected to the information panel 1 so asto communicate and is made up of the transmission and reception section31. The transmission and reception section 31 transmits information tothe second transmission and reception section 12 of the informationpanel 1 and receives information which is transmitted by the secondtransmission and reception section 12 of the information panel 1. Theelectrical equipment 3 is made up, for example, of various kinds ofequipment, such as an air conditioner, a refrigerator, a washingmachine, a microwave oven, a rice cooker, a vacuum cleaner, cookingequipment, a gas hot-water supplier, a central heating system, anelectrical hot-water heater and a household cogeneration apparatus.Herein, in this embodiment, the electrical equipment 3 is described as agas hot-water supplier.

Herein, in this embodiment, the information panel 1 corresponds to anexample of the electrical-equipment communication apparatus. The server2 corresponds to an example of the information communication apparatus.The first transmission and reception section 11 and the secondtransmission and reception section 12 correspond to an example of thetransmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus. The transmission and reception section 21corresponds to an example of the transmitting and receiving means of theinformation communication apparatus. The trigger generation section 22corresponds to an example of the trigger generating means.

FIG. 2 is a diagram, showing an information transfer procedure of theinformation transfer system according to the first embodiment shown inFIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows the exchange of information by the firsttransmission and reception section 11 and the second transmission andreception section 12 of the information panel 1, the transmission andreception section 21 of the server 2, the transmission and receptionsection 31 of the electrical equipment 3 and the trigger generationsection 22 of the server 2. Reference numerals 61 to 72 designate thecontents of each piece of information. Herein, in FIG. 2, periodic UDPs61, 63, 71 represent IP address information which the information panel1 transmits periodically based on a UDP (or user datagram protocol)protocol. Confirmation UDPs 62, 64, 72 represent confirmationinformation which the server 2 issues, for the periodic UDPs 61, 63, 71from the information panel 1, based on the UDP protocol. A requestresponse UDP 66 indicates request response information which the server2 issues based on the UDP protocol. A confirmation UDP 67 indicatesconfirmation information which the information panel 1 issues, for therequest response UDP 66 from the server 2, based on the UDP protocol. Aresult TCP 70 indicates result information which the information panel 1issues based on a TCP (or transmission control protocol) protocol. Forexample, the result TCP 70 is state-change data on the electricalequipment 3, a response result to a control request, or the like. Forexample, if the electrical equipment 3 is a gas hot-water supplier, thenusing the result TCP 70, information on the gas hot-water supplier istransferred through the information panel 1 to the server 2. Suchinformation includes, as a control instruction for the gas hot-watersupplier, starting to supply hot water to a bath or finishing hot-watersupply after a predetermined time elapses and the volume of hot watersupplied into a bathtub reaches a proper quantity. Of course, theelectrical equipment 3 may also be equipment except a gas hot-watersupplier, and needless to say, a control request can also be other thanstarting to supply hot water to a bath.

Herein, in this embodiment, a UDP protocol is used as theconnectionless-type protocol, and a TCP protocol is used as theconnection-type protocol. However, the present invention is not limitedonly to this. Connectionless-type protocols other than a UDP protocolmay also be used, and connection-type protocols other than a TCPprotocol may also be used.

Next, the operation of the information transfer system 10 shown in FIG.1 will be described using the information transfer procedure shown inFIG. 2. In this embodiment, the information panel 1 is connected to thenetwork (or the Internet) 4. An IP address which the information panel 1has is not connected to the network 4 through a global address that isconstantly fixed, but connected to the network 4 through an IP addressthat is sequentially switched by a provider or the like. Therefore, theIP address of the information panel 1 is not a fixed address, and thus,the server 2 cannot become constantly aware of the IP address of theinformation panel 1. Hence, when a trigger is generated in the triggergeneration section 22 of the server 2, the information panel 1 transmitsIP address information periodically so as to inform the server 2 of theIP address of the information panel 1 at the point of time. This is theperiodic UDPs 61, 63, 71 shown in FIG. 2. In this way, the informationpanel 1 transmits the IP address information periodically to the server2, so that the server 2 can certainly transfer the information to theinformation panel 1. Thus, it can certainly control the informationpanel 1 and can certainly monitor the state of the information panel 1.

Herein, the interval of time from the transmission of the periodic UDP61 to the transmission of the periodic UDP 63 by the first transmissionand reception section 11 of the information panel 1 is preset, forexample, at two minutes. Besides, there is a case where if a certaintime passes, the session of the information panel 1 and the server 2 isautomatically opened. In this case, the first transmission and receptionsection 11 of the information panel 1 may also transmit a periodic UDPby detecting the session being opened.

In addition, the first transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1 may also learn the time from the establishment of asession of the information panel 1 and the server 2 to the opening ofthe session. In that case, the interval of time at which a periodic UDPis transmitted can be set according to the learned time. Specifically,the first transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel1 lengthens, little by little, the interval of time at which a periodicUDP is transmitted after the previous periodic UDP has been transmitted.If it cannot receive a confirmation UDP, it shortens the time intervalfrom the transmission of a periodic UDP to the transmission of thefollowing periodic UDP.

In this way, the period of time is learned from the establishment of asession of the information panel 1 and the server 2 to the opening ofthe session. Then, according to the learned time, the time interval isset from the transmission of information based on a connectionless-typeprotocol to the transmission of information based on the nextconnectionless-type protocol. Therefore, the session of the informationpanel 1 and the server 2 can always be kept established, thus avoiding astate where the session stays opened. This is especially effective in acase where the session is automatically opened.

For example, when a control request trigger for the electrical equipment3 which can communicate with the information panel 1 is generated in thetrigger generation section 22 of the server 2, the trigger generationsection 22 issues a control request signal 65 and stores its contents inthe buffer 23. At this time, between the server 2 and the informationpanel 1, a session is established by the periodic UDP 63 which is issuedfrom the information panel 1. Then, the transmission and receptionsection 21 of the server 2 promptly transmits the request response UDP66 to the IP address of the information panel 1 at the point of time, orthe transmission-origin address of the periodic UDP 63.

Herein, for example, if the periodic UDP 63 is a signal based on a TCPprotocol, then, at the point of time when the communication of theperiodic signal of the TCP protocol is completed, a series of pieces ofprocessing is executed such as returning an ACK signal from the server 2to the information panel 1. Thereafter, the session of the server 2 andthe information panel 1 is opened. Therefore, at the point of time whenthe session has been opened, the server 2 cannot become aware of the IPaddress of the information panel 1. This makes it impossible for thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 to transmit therequest response UDP 66 instantly when the control request signal 65 hasbeen generated.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, the periodic UDP 63 is a signalbased on a UDP protocol, and thus, the session is not necessarily openedat the point of time when the communication is completed. Therefore,when the control request signal 65 is produced, the server 2 is aware ofthe IP address of the information panel 1 at the point of time. Hence,the transmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 can transmitthe request response UDP 66 immediately to the information panel 1. Theinformation panel 1 which has received the request response UDP 66transfers a control processing signal 68 from the second transmissionand reception section 12 to the transmission and reception section 31 ofthe electrical equipment 3, so that the electrical equipment 3 can becontrolled as prescribed. Herein, the prescribed control means, forexample, various kinds of control such as default control and timercontrol which the electrical equipment 3 has, various types of settingsuch as timer setting, or the like. When the state of the electricalequipment 3 changes according to the result of control by the controlprocessing signal 68 or the like, state change information 69 istransferred from the electrical equipment 3 to the information panel 1.Then, the result is transferred as the result TCP 70 to the server 2,and the series of pieces of information transfer processing iscompleted. Herein, the state of the electrical equipment 3 indicates anelectrically-detectable state of the electrical equipment 3.

Herein, for example, let's assume the electrical equipment 3 which cancommunicate with the information panel 1 to be a gas hot-water supplier.If a control request for the gas hot-water supplier which is generatedin the trigger generation section 22 of the server 2 is a request tostart hot-water supply to a bath, the transmission and reception section21 of the server 2 transmits the request response UDP 66 to start thehot-water supply to the bath to the first transmission and receptionsection 11 of the information panel 1. The first transmission andreception section 11 of the information panel 1 receives the requestresponse UDP 66 from the server 2. The second transmission and receptionsection 12 of the information panel 1 transmits, to the gas hot-watersupplier, the control processing signal 68 for starting the hot-watersupply to the bath.

Through the above described series of information transfers, the gashot-water supplier starts to supply hot water to the bath. Besides, thetransmission and reception section 31 of the gas hot-water suppliertransmits, to the second transmission and reception section 12 of theinformation panel 1, the state change information 69 on a change in thestate of the gas hot-water supplier. It includes, for example, startingto supply hot water to the bath, finishing the hot-water supply after apredetermined time elapses and the volume of hot water supplied to thebath reaches a proper quantity, or the like. The second transmission andreception section 12 of the information panel 1 receives the statechange information 69 from the gas hot-water supplier. The firsttransmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1transmits the result TCP 70 to the transmission and reception section 21of the server 2. The transmission and reception section 21 of the server2 receives the result TCP 70 which has been transmitted by the firsttransmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1, sothat the series of pieces of information transfer processing iscompleted. Naturally, the electrical equipment 3 may also be equipmentexcept a gas hot-water supplier, and the information network 4 may alsobe except for the Internet. Needless to say, a control request can alsobe other than starting to supply hot water to a bath. Besides, it isnatural that the information panel 1 continues to send out a periodicUDP like the periodic UDP 71, even after the series of informationtransfers is completed.

Herein, a periodic UDP does not necessarily continue to be sent out at afixed interval, as long as it is sent out substantially at a certaininterval. In addition, for a signal based on a UDP protocol, an ACKsignal is not returned when it is transferred. Hence, it becomes lessreliable than a signal based on a TCP protocol. Therefore, if thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 receives theperiodic UDPs 61, 63, 71, it transmits the confirmation UDPs 62, 64, 72to the first transmission and reception section 11 of the informationpanel 1. In this way, for the periodic UDPs 61, 63, 71, the confirmationUDPs 62, 64, 72 are sent out from the server 2 to the information panel1, so that the information transfer becomes more reliable. Moreover, inthe same way, the confirmation UDP 67 is sent out for the requestresponse UDP 66. Thereby, the above-described disadvantages can beresolved, thus heightening the reliability of the information transfer.

Furthermore, the information panel 1 includes the display section 13 orthe operation section 14. Thereby, in the information panel 1,information can be confirmed, such as the state of the electricalequipment 3 and the confirmation of the communication state with theserver 2. This presents an extremely great advantage, such as settingthe contents of information sending.

Herein, the electrical equipment 3 is not necessarily controlled bycommunicating with the information panel 1. Needless to say, it may alsobe directly connected to a terminal of the information panel 1 or thelike, so that it can be controlled. Besides, the request response UDP 66may also be a signal of a TCP protocol. In that case, there is no needfor the confirmation UDP 67 with respect to the request response UDP 66.Thereby, using a signal based on a TCP protocol, a request responseinformation can be certainly transmitted.

Moreover, in this embodiment, description is given about the transfer ofinformation for controlling the electrical equipment 3. Needless to say,in the same was as described above, the present invention can be appliedto the control of the information panel 1 itself, or the transfer ofinformation like life information, such as a weather forecast, atimetable, the present time, a gas consumption, a power consumption, awater consumption, a gas rate, a power rate and a water rate, or thelike. Furthermore, the electrical equipment 3 according to thisembodiment may also be various meters, such as a gas meter, anelectric-power meter and a water meter. If the electrical equipment 3 isvarious meters such as a gas meter, an electric-power meter and a watermeter, the information transfer system may also be applied to aninformation transfer for executing control such as the remote cutoff andremote return (opening) of a meter. Moreover, needless to say, the statechange information 69 and the result TCP 70 may also be sent out, notonly when a change is made in the state of the electrical equipment 3,the information panel 1, or the like, but also when the state at a fixedpoint of time of the electrical equipment 3, the information panel 1 orthe like is transferred at regular intervals.

Hence, before a communication request is generated in the triggergeneration section 22, the transmission and reception section 21 of theserver 2 receives information (or a periodic UDP) based on aconnectionless-type protocol which is periodically transmitted from theinformation panel 1. Thereby, the session remains connected between itand the first transmission and reception section 11 of the informationpanel 1. Therefore, the transmission and reception section 21 can issue,to the transmission-origin address of the periodic UDP, request responseinformation (or a request response UDP) based on a connectionless-typeprotocol or request response information (or a request response TCP)based on a connection-type protocol, instantly without waiting for thefollowing periodic UDP. Thus, the information transfer can be executedwithout a time lag from the communication-request generation in thetrigger generation section 22 to the transmission of the requestresponse UDP or request response TCP. Therefore, the time interval canbe shortened from the generation of a control request in the server 2 tothe transfer of information to the information panel 1. Thereby,information provision or control can be realized in real time.

In addition, result information based on a connection-type protocol istransmitted to the transmission-origin address of request responseinformation, so that the state of the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus (or the information panel 1) can be transferred. Besides, wheninformation (or a periodic UDP) based on a connectionless-type protocolwhich is periodically transmitted from the first transmission andreception section 11 of the information panel 1 has been received by thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2, confirmationinformation (or a confirmation UDP) based on a connectionless-typeprotocol or confirmation information (or a confirmation TCP) based on aconnection-type protocol is transmitted to the transmission-originaddress of the periodic UDP. This makes it possible to execute atransfer confirmation of the periodic UDP of which a communicationtransfer confirmation is not made as a basic protocol.

Furthermore, when request response information (or a request responseUDP) based on a connectionless-type protocol which is transmitted fromthe transmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 has beenreceived by the first transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1, confirmation information (or a confirmation UDP)based on a connectionless-type protocol or confirmation information (ora confirmation TCP) based on a connection-type protocol is transmittedfor the request response information. This makes it possible to executea transfer confirmation of the request response UDP of which acommunication transfer confirmation is not made as a basic protocol.

Moreover, when the second transmission and reception section 12 of theinformation panel 1 has received request response information based on aconnection-type protocol or request response information based on aconnectionless-type protocol, it transmits a control signal to thetransmission and reception section 31 of the electrical equipment 3.Thereby, the electrical equipment 3 which is connected to theinformation panel 1 can be controlled. Besides, the server 2 can receivechange state data on the information panel 1 or the electrical equipment3, so that it can recognize the state of the information panel 1 or theelectrical equipment 3 which has been changed through the control.

Herein, the information transfer according to the first embodiment willbe more specifically described. FIG. 3 is a block diagram, morespecifically showing the information transfer according to the firstembodiment. Herein, in the following description, an example isdescribed in which the electrical equipment is applied as a hot-waterusage apparatus. The hot-water usage apparatus is an apparatus whichcreates hot water using an energy source such as gas, electric power andoil, and supplies the hot water which is used directly in a bath, akitchen, a washroom or the like. In addition, it is an apparatus whichhas the function of, using the hot water it creates, floor heating,bathroom heating, bathroom drying, heating by a fan heater or an airconditioner, or the like.

An information transfer system 20 shown in FIG. 3 is configured by theinformation panel 1, the server 2 and a hot-water usage apparatus 3 a.Herein, the configuration of the information panel 1 and the server 2 inthe information transfer system 20 shown in FIG. 3 is the same as theconfiguration of the information panel 1 and the server 2 in theinformation transfer system 10 shown in FIG. 1. Hence, it is given thesame reference numerals, and thus, its detailed description is omitted.Therefore, in the following description, only the configurations aredescribed which are different from those of the information transfersystem 10 shown in FIG. 1.

The information panel 1 is communicably connected to the server 2, viaan information network 4 (hereinafter, referred to as the network 4). Itis, for example, a controller which controls the hot-water usageapparatus 3 a. The information panel 1 is made up of a firsttransmission and reception section 11, a second transmission andreception section 12, a display section 13, an operation section 14, anda control section 15. Herein, the information panel 1 according to thisembodiment is a controller which controls the hot-water usage apparatus3 a. However, the present invention is not limited only to this. It mayalso be, for example, a remote controller, a personal computer, atelevision, or the like. In addition, the information panel 1 may alsocontrol not only the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a but also anotherpiece of electrical equipment.

The server 2 is communicably connected via the network 4 to theinformation panel 1. It is made up of the transmission and receptionsection 21, a trigger generation section 22, a buffer 23, and a controlsection 24. Herein, in this embodiment, the server 2 may also beinformation equipment, such as a personal computer, a portable terminaland a mobile phone.

The hot-water usage apparatus 3 a is formed by a heat source equipment32, a bath remote controller 33, a floor heater 34, and a bathroom dryer35. The heat source equipment 32 creates and supplies hot water, usinggas, electricity or oil as an energy source. It is a so-called waterboiler. The heat source equipment 32 has a hot-water supplying functionof supplying the hot water it creates to a bath, a kitchen, a washroom,or the like. It also has a heating function of using the hot water itcreates as a heat source of floor heating, a bathroom heater, a bathroomdryer, a fan heater, an air conditioner, or the like. Besides, the heatsource equipment 32 is provided with the transmission and receptionsection 31. The transmission and reception section 31 transmitsinformation to the second transmission and reception section 12 of theinformation panel 1, and receives information which is transmitted bythe second transmission and reception section 12 of the informationpanel 1. The bath remote controller 33 controls a hot-water supply orthe like and is mainly installed in a bath. The floor heater 34 warms afloor, using the hot water which is created by the heat source equipment32. The bathroom dryer 35 dries a bathroom, using the hot water which iscreated by the heat source equipment 32. Herein, the floor heater 34 andthe bathroom dryer 35 may also be equipment which uses the hot water ofa bathroom heater, a fan heater, an air conditioner, or the like.

Next, the operation of the information transfer system 20 shown in FIG.3 will be described. Herein, the following description is given withreference to the information transfer procedure shown in FIG. 2.

The first transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel1 periodically transmits, to the server 2, IP address information (or aperiodic UDP) based on a UDP protocol. The transmission and receptionsection 21 of the server 2 receives the periodic UDP which istransmitted by the first transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1. Then, it transmits confirmation information (or aconfirmation UDP) based on a UDP protocol to the first transmission andreception section 11 of the information panel 1. The first transmissionand reception section 11 of the information panel 1 receives theconfirmation UDP which is transmitted by the transmission and receptionsection 21 of the server 2.

Herein, in the trigger generation section 22 of the server 2, forexample, when a control request trigger for the hot-water usageapparatus 3 a which can communicate with the information panel 1 isgenerated. Specifically, for example, when a control request trigger forturning on the floor heater 34 which is connected to the heat sourceequipment 32 is generated, the trigger generation section 22 issues thecontrol request signal 65 and stores its contents in the buffer 23. Atthis time, between the server 2 and the information panel 1, a sessionis established by the periodic UDP 63 which is issued from theinformation panel 1. Then, the transmission and reception section 21 ofthe server 2 promptly transmits the request response UDP 66 to the IPaddress of the information panel 1 at the point of time, or thetransmission-origin address of the periodic UDP 63.

The first transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel1 receives the request response UDP 66 which has been transmitted by thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2. Then, ittransmits the confirmation UDP 67 to the transmission and receptionsection 21 of the server 2. The transmission and reception section 21 ofthe server 2 receives the confirmation UDP 67 which is transmitted bythe first transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel1. The information panel 1 which has received the request response UDP66 transfers a control processing signal 68 from the second transmissionand reception section 12 to the transmission and reception section 31 ofthe hot-water usage apparatus 3 a, so that the hot-water usage apparatus3 a can be controlled as prescribed. Herein, the prescribed controlmeans, for example, various kinds of control such as default control andtimer control which the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a has, various typesof setting such as a timer setting, or the like. In other words, if thecontrol request which has been generated in the trigger generationsection 22 is a request to start hot-water supply to a bath, thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 transmits therequest response UDP 66 to the first transmission and reception section11 of the information panel 1. The first transmission and receptionsection 11 of the information panel 1 receives the request response UDP66 which has been transmitted by the transmission and reception section21 of the server 2. The second transmission and reception section 12 ofthe information panel 1 transmits, to the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a,the control processing signal 68 for starting the hot-water supply tothe bath. The transmission and reception section 31 of the hot-waterusage apparatus 3 a receives the control processing signal 68 which hasbeen transmitted by the second transmission and reception section 12 ofthe information panel 1.

Through the above described series of information transfers, thehot-water usage apparatus 3 a starts to supply hot water to the bath.Besides, the transmission and reception section 31 of the hot-waterusage apparatus 3 a transmits, to the second transmission and receptionsection 12 of the information panel 1, the state change information 69relates to a change in the state of the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a.It includes, for example, starting to supply hot water to the bath,finishing the hot-water supply after a predetermined time elapses andthe volume of hot water supplied to the bath reaches a proper quantity,or the like. The second transmission and reception section 12 of theinformation panel 1 receives the state change information 69 from thehot-water usage apparatus 3 a. The first transmission and receptionsection 11 of the information panel 1 transmits the result TCP 70 to thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2. The transmissionand reception section 21 of the server 2 receives the result TCP 70which has been transmitted by the first transmission and receptionsection 11 of the information panel 1, so that the series of pieces ofinformation transfer processing is completed.

Herein, the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a is not necessarily controlledby communicating with the information panel 1. Needless to say, it mayalso be directly connected to a terminal of the information panel 1 orthe like, so that it can be controlled. Besides, the request responseUDP 66 may also be a signal of a TCP protocol. In that case, there is noneed for the confirmation UDP 67 with respect to the request responseUDP 66. Thereby, using a signal based on a TCP protocol, a requestresponse information can be certainly transmitted.

Moreover, needless to say, the state change information 69 and theresult TCP 70 may also be sent out, not only when a change is made inthe state of the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a, the information panel 1,or the like, but also when the state at a fixed point of time of thehot-water usage apparatus 3 a, the information panel 1 or the like istransferred at regular intervals.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, an example is described in which theelectrical equipment 3 is applied to the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a.However, the present invention is not limited only to this. Theelectrical equipment 3 may also be applied to a security apparatus inwhich various sensors, such as an opening-and-shutting sensor, ahuman-presence sensor, a fire sensor and a gas-leakage sensor, keep awatch, and the sensors operate to issue a voice or a report, or to allowa security guard to rush to a house. Besides, the electrical equipment 3may also be an air conditioner, a washing machine, heating cookingequipment such as a microwave oven, a rice cooker and an IH cooker, or afreezing refrigeration apparatus such as a refrigerator, a freezer, afreezing refrigerator.

Next, description is given of an information transfer system accordingto a variation of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4is a block diagram, showing the whole configuration of the informationtransfer system according to the variation of the first embodiment. Thecomponent elements which have the same reference numerals as those ofthe information transfer system 10 according to the first embodimentshown in FIG. 1, have the identical functions. An information transfersystem 30 shown in FIG. 4 is configured by the information panel 1, theserver 2, and electrical equipment 3′. Herein, as the electricalequipment 3′, various kinds of equipment can be used in the same way asthe electrical equipment 3 according to the first embodiment. Theelectrical equipment 3′ is directly connected to a terminal of theinformation panel 1, so that it can be controlled by the informationpanel 1. Therefore, the information panel 1 is different from that ofthe information transfer system 10 shown in FIG. 1. It is made up onlyof a transmission and reception section 11, the display section 13, theoperation section 14, and the control section 15.

Herein, the information panel 1 according to this embodiment is acontroller which controls the electrical equipment 3′. However, thepresent invention is not limited only to this. It may also be, forexample, a remote controller, a personal computer, a television, or thelike. In addition, the information panel 1 may also control a pluralityof pieces of electrical equipment, not a single piece of electricalequipment. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the server 2 may also beinformation equipment, such as a personal computer, a portable terminaland a mobile phone.

FIG. 5 is a diagram, showing an information transfer procedure of theinformation transfer system 30 according to the variation of the firstembodiment shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 5 shows the exchange of information bythe transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1,the transmission and reception section 21 of the server 2, theelectrical equipment 3′ and the trigger generation section 22 of theserver 2. Reference numerals 81 to 93 designate the contents of eachpiece of information. Herein, in FIG. 5, periodic UDPs 81, 83, 92represent IP address information which the information panel 1 transmitsperiodically based on a UDP protocol. Confirmation UDPs 82, 84, 93represent confirmation information which the server 2 issues, for theperiodic UDPs 81, 83, 92 from the information panel 1, based on the UDPprotocol. A request UDP 86 indicates request information which theserver 2 issues based on the UDP protocol. A request confirmation TCP 87indicates request confirmation information which the information panel 1issues, for the request UDP 86 from the server 2, based on the TCPprotocol. A request response TCP 88 indicates request responseinformation which the server 2 issues, for the request confirmation TCP87 from the information panel 1, based on the TCP protocol. A result TCP91 indicates result information which the information panel 1 issuesbased on the TCP protocol. For example, the result TCP 91 isstate-change data on the electrical equipment 3′, a response result to acontrol request, or the like. For example, if the electrical equipment3′ is a gas hot-water supplier, then using the result TCP 91,information on the gas hot-water supplier is transferred through theinformation panel 1 to the server 2. Such information includes, as acontrol instruction for the gas hot-water supplier, starting to supplyhot water to a bath or finishing hot-water supply after a predeterminedtime elapses and the volume of hot water supplied into a bathtub reachesa proper quantity. Of course, the electrical equipment 3′ may also beequipment except a gas hot-water supplier, and needless to say, acontrol request can also be other than starting to supply hot water to abath.

Herein, in this embodiment, a UDP protocol is used as theconnectionless-type protocol, and a TCP protocol is used as theconnection-type protocol. However, the present invention is not limitedonly to this. Connectionless-type protocols other than a UDP protocolmay also be used, and connection-type protocols other than a TCPprotocol may also be used.

Next, the operation of the information transfer system 30 shown in FIG.4 will be described using the information transfer procedure shown inFIG. 5. In this embodiment, the information panel 1 is connected to thenetwork (or the Internet) 4. An IP address which the information panel 1has is not connected to the network 4 through a global address that isconstantly fixed, but connected to the network 4 through an IP addressthat is sequentially switched by a provider or the like. Therefore, theIP address of the information panel 1 is not a fixed address, and thus,the server 2 cannot become constantly aware of the IP address of theinformation panel 1. Hence, when a trigger is generated in the triggergeneration section 22 of the server 2, the information panel 1 transmitsIP address information periodically so as to inform the server 2 of theIP address of the information panel 1 at the point of time. This is theperiodic UDPs 81, 83, 92 shown in FIG. 5. In this way, the informationpanel 1 transmits the IP address information periodically to the server2, so that the server 2 can certainly transfer the information to theinformation panel 1. Thus, it can certainly control the informationpanel 1 and can certainly monitor the state of the information panel 1.

Herein, the interval of time from the transmission of the periodic UDP81 to the transmission of the periodic UDP 83 by the first transmissionand reception section 11 of the information panel 1 is preset, forexample, at two minutes. Besides, there is a case where if a certaintime passes, the session of the information panel 1 and the server 2 isautomatically opened. In this case, the transmission and receptionsection 11 of the information panel 1 may also transmit a periodic UDPby detecting the session being opened.

In addition, the transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1 may also learn the time from the establishment of asession of the information panel 1 and the server 2 to the opening ofthe session. In that case, the interval of time at which a periodic UDPis transmitted can be set according to the learned time. Specifically,the transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1lengthens, little by little, the interval of time at which a periodicUDP is transmitted after the previous periodic UDP has been transmitted.If it cannot receive a confirmation UDP, it shortens the time intervalfrom the transmission of a periodic UDP to the transmission of thefollowing periodic UDP.

In this way, the period of time is learned from the establishment of asession of the information panel 1 and the server 2 to the opening ofthe session. Then, according to the learned time, the time interval isset from the transmission of information based on a connectionless-typeprotocol to the transmission of information based on the nextconnectionless-type protocol. Therefore, the session of the informationpanel 1 and the server 2 can always be kept established, thus avoiding astate where the session stays opened. This is especially effective in acase where the session is automatically opened.

For example, when a control request trigger for the electrical equipment3′ which can communicate with the information panel 1 is generated inthe trigger generation section 22 of the server 2, the triggergeneration section 22 issues a control request signal 85 and stores itscontents in the buffer 23. At this time, between the server 2 and theinformation panel 1, a session is established by the periodic UDP 83which is issued from the information panel 1. Then, the transmission andreception section 21 of the server 2 promptly transmits the request UDP86 to the IP address of the information panel 1 at the point of time, orthe transmission-origin address of the periodic UDP 83.

Herein, for example, if the periodic UDP 83 is a signal based on a TCPprotocol, then at the point of time when the communication of theperiodic signal of the TCP protocol is completed, a series of pieces ofprocessing is executed such as returning an ACK signal from the server 2to the information panel 1. Thereafter, the session of the server 2 andthe information panel 1 is opened. Therefore, at the point of time whenthe session has been opened, the server 2 cannot become aware of the IPaddress of the information panel 1. This makes it impossible for thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 to transmit therequest UDP 86 instantly when the control request signal 85 has beengenerated.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, the periodic UDP 83 is a signalbased on a UDP protocol, and thus, the session is not necessarily openedat the point of time when the communication is completed. Therefore,when the control request signal 85 is produced, the server 2 is aware ofthe IP address of the information panel 1 at the point of time. Hence,the transmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 can transmitthe request UDP 86 immediately to the information panel 1. Thetransmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1 whichhas received the request UDP 86 transmits the request confirmation TCP87 to the server 2. The transmission and reception section 21 of theserver 2 receives the request confirmation TCP 87 which has beentransmitted by the transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1. Then, it transmits the request response TCP 88 tothe transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1.

Herein, the server 2 receives the control request signal 85 and does notinstantly send out the request response TCP 88. It transmits the requestUDP 86 and sends out the request response TCP 88 after receiving therequest confirmation TCP 87. This is because much of the information ofthe information panel 1 which is inside the server 2 in the stage wherethe control request signal 85 has been generated, or the informationexcept the IP address information of the information panel 1 at thepoint of time when a transfer has been executed through the periodic UDP83, has some doubt as to its immediacy. For example, even if theperiodic UDP 83 includes the state information on the electricalequipment 3′ or the information panel 1 itself, before the controlrequest signal 85 is generated, a change in the state of the electricalequipment 3′ may be taking place, such as whether it has been turned onor off, or whether it is now supplying hot water or it has finishedsupplying hot water. Hence, it is not necessarily correct. Therefore, inthe case where the electrical equipment 3′ or the information panel 1itself is controlled, or in the case where information is transferred,control needs to be executed by accurately recognizing the stateinformation such as the on-and-off state, temperature-setting state andtimer-setting state of the electrical equipment 3′ at the point of timewhen the control request signal 85 has been generated. Besides, in thecase where a measure to lessen the information of a periodic UDP to theutmost or the like is taken so that traffic on the Internet 4 can belightened, the information which is transferred by the periodic UDP 83is reduced. Thus, in order to become aware of the information at thepoint of time when the control request signal 85 has been generated, theinformation has to be confirmed over again. Hence, a procedure isexecuted in which the request UDP 86 is first sent out to theinformation panel 1, then the request confirmation TCP 87 includingvarious kinds of information is sent out from the information panel 1,and after this, the server 2 sends out the request response TCP 88 tothe information panel 1.

The information panel 1 which has received the request response TCP 88outputs a control processing signal 89 to the electrical equipment 3′,so that the electrical equipment 3′ can be controlled as prescribed.Herein, the prescribed control means, for example, various kinds ofcontrol such as default control and timer control which the electricalequipment 3′ has, various types of setting such as timer setting, or thelike. When the state of the electrical equipment 3′ changes according tothe result of control by the control processing signal 89 or the like,state change information 90 is outputted from the electrical equipment3′ to the information panel 1. Then, the result is transferred as theresult TCP 91 to the server 2, and the series of information transfersis completed. Herein, the state of the electrical equipment 3′ indicatesan electrically-detectable state of the electrical equipment 3′.

Herein, for example, let's assume the electrical equipment 3′ which cancommunicate with the information panel 1 to be a gas hot-water supplier.If a control request for the gas hot-water supplier which is generatedin the trigger generation section 22 of the server 2 is a request tostart hot-water supply to a bath, the transmission and reception section21 of the server 2 transmits the request UDP 86 to start the hot-watersupply to the bath to the transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1. The transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1 receives the request UDP 86 which has beentransmitted by the transmission and reception section 21 of the server2. Then, it transmits the request confirmation TCP 87 to thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2. The transmissionand reception section 21 of the server 2 receives the requestconfirmation TCP 87 which has been transmitted by the transmission andreception section 11 of the information panel 1, and transmits therequest response TCP 88. The transmission and reception section 11 ofthe information panel 1 receives the request response TCP 88 which hasbeen transmitted by the transmission and reception section 21 of theserver 2. Then, it outputs, to the gas hot-water supplier, the controlprocessing signal 89 for starting the hot-water supply to the bath.

Through the above described series of information transfers, the gashot-water supplier starts to supply hot water to the bath. Besides, thegas hot-water supplier outputs, to the information panel 1, the statechange information 90 on a change in the state of the gas hot-watersupplier. It includes, for example, starting to supply hot water to thebath, finishing the hot-water supply after a predetermined time elapsesand the volume of hot water supplied to the bath reaches a properquantity, or the like. Then, the state change information 90 from thegas hot-water supplier is inputted in the information panel 1. Thetransmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1transmits the result TCP 91 to the transmission and reception section 21of the server 2. The transmission and reception section 21 of the server2 receives the result TCP 91 which has been transmitted by thetransmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1, sothat the series of pieces of information transfer processing iscompleted. Naturally, the electrical equipment 3′ may also be equipmentexcept a gas hot-water supplier, and the information network 4 may alsobe except for the Internet. Needless to say, a control request can alsobe other than starting to supply hot water to a bath. Besides, it isnatural that the information panel 1 continues to send out a periodicUDP like the periodic UDP 92, even after the series of informationtransfers is completed.

Herein, a periodic UDP does not necessarily continue to be sent out at afixed interval, as long as it is sent out substantially at a certaininterval. In addition, for a signal based on a UDP protocol, an ACKsignal is not returned when it is transferred. Hence, it becomes lessreliable than a signal based on a TCP protocol. Therefore, if thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 receives theperiodic UDPs 81, 83, 92, it transmits the confirmation UDPs 82, 84, 93to the transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1.In this way, for the periodic UDPs 81, 83, 92, the confirmation UDPs 82,84, 93 are sent out from the server 2 to the information panel 1, sothat the information transfer becomes more reliable.

Furthermore, the information panel 1 includes the display section 13 orthe operation section 14. Thereby, in the information panel 1,information can be confirmed, such as the state of the electricalequipment 3′ and the confirmation of the communication state with theserver 2. This presents an extremely great advantage, such as settingthe contents of information sending. Herein, the electrical equipment 3′is connected to a terminal of the information panel 1. However, it mayalso be controlled by communicating with the information panel 1.

Moreover, in this embodiment, description is given about the transfer ofinformation for controlling the electrical equipment 3′. Needless tosay, in the same was as described above, the present invention can beapplied to the control of the information panel 1 itself, or thetransfer of information like life information, such as a weatherforecast, a timetable, the present time, a gas consumption, a powerconsumption, a water consumption, a gas rate, a power rate and a waterrate, or the like. Furthermore, the electrical equipment 3′ according tothis embodiment may also be various meters, such as a gas meter, anelectric-power meter and a water meter. If the electrical equipment 3′is various meters such as a gas meter, an electric-power meter and awater meter, the information transfer system may also be applied to aninformation transfer for executing control such as the remote cutoff andremote return (opening) of a meter. Moreover, needless to say, the statechange information 90 and the result TCP 91 may also be sent out, notonly when a change is made in the state of the electrical equipment 3′,the information panel 1, or the like, but also when the state at a fixedpoint of time of the electrical equipment 3′, the information panel 1 orthe like is transferred at regular intervals.

Hence, before a communication request is generated in the triggergeneration section 22, the transmission and reception section 21 of theserver 2 receives information (or a periodic UDP) based on aconnectionless-type protocol which is periodically transmitted from theinformation panel 1. Thereby, the session remains connected between itand the first transmission and reception section 11 of the informationpanel 1. Therefore, the transmission and reception section 21 can issue,to the transmission-origin address of the periodic UDP, requestinformation (or a request UDP) based on a connectionless-type protocol,instantly without waiting for the following periodic UDP. Thus, theinformation transfer can be executed without a time lag from thecommunication-request generation in the trigger generation section 22 tothe transmission of the request UDP. In addition, the request UDP aimsat transferring, to the information panel 1, the fact that thecommunication request has been generated in the trigger generationsection 22. Hence, it includes a smaller amount of information than therequest response information (or the request response UDP) based on aconnectionless-type protocol which has detailed information such as thecontents of communication. This helps reduce the amount of communicationdata on a network.

In addition, when information (or a periodic UDP) based on aconnectionless-type protocol which is periodically transmitted from thefirst transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1has been received by the transmission and reception section 21 of theserver 2, confirmation information (or a confirmation UDP) based on aconnectionless-type protocol or confirmation information (or aconfirmation TCP) based on a connection-type protocol is transmitted tothe transmission-origin address of the periodic UDP. This makes itpossible to execute a transfer confirmation of the periodic UDP of whicha communication transfer confirmation is not made as a basic protocol.

Furthermore, when request information (or a request UDP) based on aconnectionless-type protocol which is transmitted from the transmissionand reception section 21 of the server 2 has been received by the firsttransmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1,confirmation information (or a confirmation UDP) based on aconnectionless-type protocol or confirmation information (or aconfirmation TCP) based on a connection-type protocol is transmitted forthe request information. This makes it possible to execute a transferconfirmation of the request UDP of which a communication transferconfirmation is not made as a basic protocol.

Moreover, when request response information based on a connection-typeprotocol or request response information based on a connectionless-typeprotocol has been received,

the electrical equipment which is connected to the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus (or the information panel 1) can be controlled.Besides, the server 2 can receive change state data on the informationpanel 1 or the electrical equipment 3′ connected to the informationpanel 1, so that it can recognize the state of the information panel 1or the electrical equipment 3′ which has been changed through thecontrol.

Herein, the information transfer according to the variation of the firstembodiment will be more specifically described. FIG. 6 is a blockdiagram, more specifically showing the information transfer according tothe variation of the first embodiment. Herein, in the followingdescription, an example is described in which the electrical equipmentis applied as a hot-water usage apparatus. The hot-water usage apparatusis an apparatus which creates hot water using an energy source such asgas, electric power and oil, and supplies the hot water which is useddirectly in a bath, a kitchen, a washroom or the like. In addition, itis an apparatus which has the function of, using the hot water itcreates, floor heating, bathroom heating, bathroom drying, heating by afan heater or an air conditioner, or the like.

An information transfer system 40 shown in FIG. 6 is configured by theinformation panel 1, the server 2 and a hot-water usage apparatus 3 a′.Herein, the configuration of the information panel 1 and the server 2 inthe information transfer system 40 shown in FIG. 6 is the same as theconfiguration of the information panel 1 and the server 2 in theinformation transfer system 30 shown in FIG. 4. Hence, it is given thesame reference numerals, and thus, its detailed description is omitted.Therefore, in the following description, only the configurations aregiven which are different from those of the information transfer system30 shown in FIG. 4.

The information panel 1 is communicably connected to the server 2, viaan information network 4 (hereinafter, referred to as the network 4). Itis, for example, a controller which controls the hot-water usageapparatus 3 a′. The information panel 1 is made up of a transmission andreception section 11, a display section 13, an operation section 14, anda control section 15. Herein, the information panel 1 according to thisembodiment is a controller which controls the hot-water usage apparatus3 a′. However, the present invention is not limited only to this. It mayalso be, for example, a remote controller, a personal computer, atelevision, or the like. In addition, the information panel 1 may alsocontrol not only the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a′ but also anotherpiece of electrical equipment.

The server 2 is communicably connected via the network 4 to theinformation panel 1. It is made up of the transmission and receptionsection 21, a trigger generation section 22, a buffer 23, and a controlsection 24. Herein, in this embodiment, the server 2 may also beinformation equipment, such as a personal computer, a portable terminaland a mobile phone.

The hot-water usage apparatus 3 a′ is formed by a heat source equipment32, a bath remote controller 33, a floor heater 34, and a bathroom dryer35. The heat source equipment 32 creates and supplies hot water, usinggas, electricity or oil as an energy source. It is a so-called waterboiler. The heat source equipment 32 has a hot-water supplying functionof supplying the hot water it creates to a bath, a kitchen, a washroom,or the like. It also has a heating function of using the hot water itcreates as a heat source of floor heating, a bathroom heater, a bathroomdryer, a fan heater, an air conditioner, or the like. The bath remotecontroller 33 controls a hot-water supply or the like and is mainlyinstalled in a bath. The floor heater 34 warms a floor, using the hotwater which is created by the heat source equipment 32. The bathroomdryer 35 dries a bathroom, using the hot water which is created by theheat source equipment 32. Herein, the floor heater 34 and the bathroomdryer 35 may also be equipment which uses the hot water of a bathroomheater, a fan heater, an air conditioner, or the like.

Next, the operation of the information transfer system 20 shown in FIG.6 will be described. Herein, the following description is given withreference to the information transfer procedure shown in FIG. 5.

The transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1periodically transmits, to the server 2, IP address information (or aperiodic UDP) based on a UDP protocol. The transmission and receptionsection 21 of the server 2 receives the periodic UDP which istransmitted by the transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1. Then, it transmits confirmation information (or aconfirmation UDP) based on a UDP protocol to the transmission andreception section 11 of the information panel 1. The transmission andreception section 11 of the information panel 1 receives theconfirmation UDP which is transmitted by the transmission and receptionsection 21 of the server 2.

Herein, in the trigger generation section 22 of the server 2, forexample, when a control request trigger for the hot-water usageapparatus 3 a′ which can communicate with the information panel 1 isgenerated, specifically, for example, when a control request trigger forturning on the floor heater 34, which is connected to the heat sourceequipment 32, is generated, the trigger generation section 22 issues thecontrol request signal 85 and stores its contents in the buffer 23. Atthis time, between the server 2 and the information panel 1, a sessionis established by the periodic UDP 83 which is issued from theinformation panel 1. Then, the transmission and reception section 21 ofthe server 2 promptly transmits the request UDP 86 to the IP address ofthe information panel 1 at the point of time, or the transmission-originaddress of the periodic UDP 83.

The transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1receives the request UDP 86 which has been transmitted by thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2. Then, ittransmits the request confirmation TCP 87 to the transmission andreception section 21 of the server 2. The transmission and receptionsection 21 of the server 2 receives the request confirmation TCP 87which is transmitted by the transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1. Then, it transmits the request response TCP 88 forthe request confirmation TCP 87 to the transmission and receptionsection 11 of the information panel 1. The information panel 1 which hasreceived the request response TCP 88 outputs a control processing signal89 to the heat source equipment 32 of the hot-water usage apparatus 3a′, so that the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a′ can be controlled asprescribed. Herein, the prescribed control means, for example, variouskinds of control such as default control and timer control which thehot-water usage apparatus 3 a′ has, various types of setting such astimer setting, or the like. In other words, if the control request,which has been generated in the trigger generation section 22, is arequest to start hot-water supply to a bath, the transmission andreception section 21 of the server 2 transmits the request response TCP88 to the transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel1. The transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1receives the request response TCP 88 which has been transmitted by thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2. The informationpanel 1 outputs, to the heat source equipment 32 of the hot-water usageapparatus 3 a′, the control processing signal 89 for starting thehot-water supply to the bath. The control processing signal 89 which hasbeen transmitted by the information panel 1 is inputted in the heatsource equipment 32 of the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a′.

Through the above described series of information transfers, thehot-water usage apparatus 3 a′ starts to supply hot water to the bath.Besides, the heat source equipment 32 of the hot-water usage apparatus 3a′ outputs, to the information panel 1, the state change information 90on a change in the state of the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a′. Itincludes, for example, starting to supply hot water to the bath,finishing the hot-water supply after a predetermined time elapses andthe volume of hot water supplied to the bath reaches a proper quantity,or the like. The state change information 90 from the hot-water usageapparatus 3 a′ is inputted in the information panel 1. The transmissionand reception section 11 of the information panel 1 transmits the resultTCP 91 to the transmission and reception section 21 of the server 2. Thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 receives theresult TCP 91 which has been transmitted by the transmission andreception section 11 of the information panel 1, so that the series ofpieces of information transfer processing is completed.

Moreover, needless to say, the state change information 90 and theresult TCP 91 may also be sent out, not only when a change is made inthe state of the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a′, the information panel1, or the like, but also when the state at a fixed point of time of thehot-water usage apparatus 3 a′, the information panel 1 or the like istransferred at regular intervals.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, an example is described in which theelectrical equipment 3 is applied to the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a,3 a′. However, the present invention is not limited only to this. Theelectrical equipment 3 may also be applied to a security apparatus inwhich various sensors, such as an opening-and-shutting sensor, ahuman-presence sensor, a fire sensor and a gas-leakage sensor, keep awatch, and the sensors operate to issue a voice or a report, or to allowa security guard to rush to a house. Besides, the electrical equipment 3may also be an air conditioner, a washing machine, heating cookingequipment such as a microwave oven, a rice cooker and an IH cooker, or afreezing refrigeration apparatus such as a refrigerator, a freezer, afreezing refrigerator.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, description is given about the remotecontrol of equipment. However, the present invention is not limited onlyto this. This art may also be used for a telemeter system which collectsthe state of equipment or a signal from a sensor.

In this embodiment, the first transmission and reception section 11 (orthe transmission and reception section 11) of the information panel 1may also detect the time from the establishment of a session to theopening of the session. In that case, if the detected time becomesshorter than a predetermined time, it notifies the information panel 1or the server 2 that the time when the session is kept established hasbecome shorter. Specifically, the first transmission and receptionsection 11 (or the transmission and reception section 11) of theinformation panel 1 lengthens, little by little, the interval of time atwhich a periodic UDP is transmitted after the previous periodic UDP hasbeen transmitted. If it cannot receive a confirmation UDP, it shortensthe time interval from the transmission of a periodic UDP to thetransmission of the following periodic UDP. Then, if this time intervalbecomes shorter than a predetermined time, it notifies the informationpanel 1 or the server 2 that the time when the session is establishedhas become shorter.

In this case, if the notification is given that the time when thesession is established has become shorter, the first transmission andreception section 11 of the information panel 1 sets the time intervalat which it transmits a periodic UDP, for example, to a predeterminedtime. Besides, if the notification is given that the time when thesession is established has become shorter, the transmission andreception section 21 of the server 2 sets the time interval from theestablishment to the opening of the session, for example, to apredetermined time. Herein, such a predetermined time is, for example,two minutes. In addition, in this embodiment, the information panel 1decides that the time when the session is kept established has becomeshorter than a predetermined time. However, the present invention is notlimited only to this. After the time when the session is established istransmitted to the server 2, the server 2 may also make a decision bycomparing it with a predetermined time.

In this way, the first transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1 detects the time from the establishment of a sessionto the opening of the session. If the detected time becomes shorter thana predetermined time, the information panel 1 or the server 2 isnotified that the time when the session is kept established has becomeshorter. Therefore, the amount of information which flows for a fixedtime on a network can be reduced, thus preventing a delay or a loss ofinformation.

Second Embodiment

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.FIG. 7 is a block diagram, showing the entire configuration of aninformation transfer system according to the second embodiment. Aninformation transfer system 50 shown in FIG. 7 is configured by aninformation panel 1, a server 2, electrical equipment (informationcommunication apparatus) 3, and a cellular telephone 5. Herein, theconfiguration of the information panel 1, the server 2 and theelectrical equipment 3 in the information transfer system 50 shown inFIG. 7 is the same as the configuration of the information panel 1, theserver 2 and the electrical equipment 3 in the information transfersystem 10 shown in FIG. 1. Hence, it is given the same referencenumerals, and thus, its detailed description is omitted. Therefore, inthe following description, only the configurations are given which aredifferent from those of the information transfer system 10 shown in FIG.1.

The information panel 1 is communicably connected to the server 2, viaan information network 4 (hereinafter, referred to as the network 4). Itis, for example, a controller which controls the electrical equipment 3.The information panel 1 is made up of a first transmission and receptionsection 11, a second transmission and reception section 12, a displaysection 13, an operation section 14, and a control section 15. Herein,the information panel 1 according to this embodiment is a controllerwhich controls the electrical equipment 3. However, the presentinvention is not limited only to this. It may also be, for example, aremote controller, a personal computer, a television, or the like. Inaddition, the information panel 1 may also control a plurality of piecesof electrical equipment, not a single piece of electrical equipment.

The server 2 is communicably connected via the network 4 to theinformation panel 1 and is also communicably connected via a cell-phonenetwork 6 and the network 4 to the cellular telephone 5. It is made upof the transmission and reception section 21 and a control section 24.The transmission and reception section 21 transmits information via thenetwork 4 to the first transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1. It also receives information which is transmittedvia the network 4 by the first transmission and reception section 11 ofthe information panel 1. In addition, the transmission and receptionsection 21 transmits information via the network 4 and the cell-phonenetwork 6 to a transmission and reception section 51 of the cellulartelephone 5. It also receives information which is transmitted via thecell-phone network 6 and the network 4 by the transmission and receptionsection 51 of the cellular telephone 5. The control section 24 controlsthe transmission and reception section 21. The electrical equipment 3 iscommunicably connected to the information panel 1 and is made up of thetransmission and reception section 31. Herein, in this embodiment, theserver 2 may also be information equipment, such as a personal computer,a portable terminal and a mobile phone.

The cellular telephone 5 is communicably connected via the cell-phonenetwork 6 and the network 4 to the server 2 and is made up of thetransmission and reception section 51. Herein, in this embodiment, thecellular telephone 5 is used, but the present invention is not limitedonly to this. Another information terminal may also be, such as a PHS(or personal handy phone system), a personal computer and a PDA (orpersonal digital assistant).

The transmission and reception section 51 transmits information via thecell-phone network 6 and the network 4 to the transmission and receptionsection 21 of the server 2. It also receives information which istransmitted via the cell-phone network 6 and the network 4 by thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2.

Herein, in this embodiment, the transmission and reception section 21 ofthe server 2 is communicably connected via the cell-phone network 6 andthe network 4 to the transmission and reception section 51 of thecellular telephone 5. However, the present invention is not limited onlyto this. The server 2 may also be provided separately with atransmission and reception section connected to the cell-phone network 6and a transmission and reception section connected to the network 4. Inaddition, the cell-phone network 6 and the network 4 are usuallyconnected to each other, via a gateway server or the like whichtransforms the format, address, protocol, or the like, of data in linewith a network to which they are connected. However, it is omitted inthe present invention. Besides, the transmission and reception section21 of the server 2 may also be communicably connected via the cell-phonenetwork 6 to the transmission and reception section 51 of the cellulartelephone 5, and be communicably connected via the network 4 to thefirst transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1.

Herein, in this embodiment, the information panel 1 corresponds to anexample of the electrical-equipment communication apparatus. The server2 and the cellular telephone 5 correspond to an example of theinformation communication apparatus. The cellular telephone 5corresponds to an example of the information terminal. The firsttransmission and reception section 11 and the second transmission andreception section 12 correspond to an example of the transmitting andreceiving means of the electrical-equipment communication apparatus. Thetransmission and reception section 21 corresponds to an example of thetransmitting and receiving means of the information communicationapparatus. The transmission and reception section 51 corresponds to anexample of the trigger generating means.

FIG. 8 is a diagram, showing an information transfer procedure of theinformation transfer system according to the second embodiment shown inFIG. 7. FIG. 8 shows the exchange of information by the firsttransmission and reception section 11 and the second transmission andreception section 12 of the information panel 1, the transmission andreception section 21 of the server 2, the transmission and receptionsection 31 of the electrical equipment 3 and the transmission andreception section 51 of the cellular telephone 5. Reference numerals 161to 173 designate the contents of each piece of information. Herein, inFIG. 8, periodic UDPs 161, 163, 172 represent IP address informationwhich the information panel 1 transmits periodically based on a UDPprotocol. Confirmation UDPs 162, 164, 173 represent confirmationinformation which the server 2 issues, for the periodic UDPs 161, 163,172 from the information panel 1, based on the UDP protocol. A requestresponse UDP 126 indicates request response information which the server2 issues based on the UDP protocol. A confirmation UDP 167 indicatesconfirmation information which the information panel 1 issues, for arequest response UDP 166 from the server 2, based on the UDP protocol. Aresult TCP 170 indicates result information which the information panel1 issues based on a TCP protocol. For example, the result TCP 170 isstate-change data on the electrical equipment 3, a response result to acontrol request, or the like. For example, if the electrical equipment 3is a gas hot-water supplier, then using the result TCP 170, informationon the gas hot-water supplier is transferred through the informationpanel 1 to the server 2. Such information includes, as a controlinstruction for the gas hot-water supplier, starting to supply hot waterto a bath or finishing hot-water supply after a predetermined timeelapses and the volume of hot water supplied into a bathtub reaches aproper quantity. Of course, the electrical equipment 3 may also beequipment except a gas hot-water supplier, and needless to say, acontrol request can also be other than starting to supply hot water to abath.

Herein, in this embodiment, a UDP protocol is used as theconnectionless-type protocol, and a TCP protocol is used as theconnection-type protocol. However, the present invention is not limitedonly to this. Connectionless-type protocols other than a UDP protocolmay also be used, and connection-type protocols other than a TCPprotocol may also be used.

Next, the operation of the information transfer system 50 shown in FIG.7 will be described using the information transfer procedure shown inFIG. 8. In this embodiment, the information panel 1 is connected to thenetwork (or the Internet) 4. An IP address which the information panel 1has is not connected to the network 4 through a global address that isconstantly fixed, but connected to the network 4 through an IP addressthat is sequentially switched by a provider or the like. Therefore, theIP address of the information panel 1 is not a fixed address, and thus,the server 2 cannot become constantly aware of the IP address of theinformation panel 1. Hence, when a control request for the electricalequipment 3 reaches the server 2 via the cell-phone network 6 and thenetwork 4 from the transmission and reception section 51 of the cellulartelephone 5, the information panel 1 transmits IP address informationperiodically so as to inform the server 2 of the IP address of theinformation panel 1 at the point of time. This is the periodic UDPs 161,163, 172 shown in FIG. 8. In this way, the information panel 1 transmitsthe IP address information periodically to the server 2, so that theserver 2 can certainly transfer the information to the information panel1. Thus, it can certainly control the information panel 1 and cancertainly monitor the state of the information panel 1.

Herein, the interval of time from the transmission of the periodic UDP161 to the transmission of the periodic UDP 163 by the firsttransmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1 ispreset, for example, at two minutes. Besides, there is a case where if acertain time passes, the session of the information panel 1 and theserver 2 is automatically opened. In this case, the first transmissionand reception section 11 of the information panel 1 may also transmit aperiodic UDP by detecting the session being opened.

In addition, the first transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1 may also learn the time from the establishment of asession of the information panel 1 and the server 2 to the opening ofthe session. In that case, the interval of time at which a periodic UDPis transmitted can be set according to the learned time. Specifically,the first transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel1 lengthens little by little the interval of time at which a periodicUDP is transmitted after the previous periodic UDP has been transmitted.If it cannot receive a confirmation UDP, it shortens the time intervalfrom the transmission of a periodic UDP to the transmission of thefollowing periodic UDP.

In this way, the period of time is learned from the establishment of asession of the information panel 1 and the server 2 to the opening ofthe session. Then, according to the learned time, the time interval isset from the transmission of information based on a connectionless-typeprotocol to the transmission of information based on the nextconnectionless-type protocol. Therefore, the session of the informationpanel 1 and the server 2 can always remain established, thus avoiding astate where the session stays opened. This is especially effective in acase where the session is automatically opened.

The transmission and reception section 51 of the cellular telephone 5transmits a control request signal 165 to the transmission and receptionsection 21 of the server 2. The transmission and reception section 21 ofthe server 2 receives the control request signal 165 which has beentransmitted by the cellular telephone 5. At this time, between theserver 2 and the information panel 1, a session is established by theperiodic UDP 163 which is issued from the information panel 1. Then, thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 promptly transmitsthe request response UDP 166 to the IP address of the information panel1 at the point of time, or the transmission-origin address of theperiodic UDP 163.

Herein, for example, if the periodic UDP 163 is a signal based on a TCPprotocol, then at the point of time when the communication of theperiodic signal of the TCP protocol is completed, a series of pieces ofprocessing is executed such as returning an ACK signal from the server 2to the information panel 1. Thereafter, the session of the server 2 andthe information panel 1 is opened. Therefore, at the point of time whenthe session has been opened, the server 2 cannot become aware of the IPaddress of the information panel 1. This makes it impossible for thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 to transmit therequest response UDP 166 instantly, even though it has received thecontrol request signal 165.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, the periodic UDP 163 is a signalbased on a UDP protocol, and thus, the session is not necessarily openedat the point of time when the communication is completed. Therefore,when it has received the control request signal 165, the server 2 isaware of the IP address of the information panel 1 at the point of time.Hence, the transmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 cantransmit the request response UDP 166 immediately to the informationpanel 1. The information panel 1 which has received the request responseUDP 166 transfers a control processing signal 168 from the secondtransmission and reception section 12 to the transmission and receptionsection 31 of the electrical equipment 3, so that the electricalequipment 3 can be controlled as prescribed. Herein, the prescribedcontrol means, for example, various kinds of control such as defaultcontrol and timer control which the electrical equipment 3 has, varioustypes of setting such as timer setting, or the like. When the state ofthe electrical equipment 3 changes according to the result of control bythe control processing signal 168 or the like, state change information169 is transferred from the electrical equipment 3 to the informationpanel 1. Then, the result is transferred as the result TCP 170 to theserver 2, and a result signal 171 which is state change information istransferred from the server 2 to the cellular telephone 5. Thus, theseries of pieces of information transfer processing is completed.Herein, the state of the electrical equipment 3 indicates anelectrically-detectable state of the electrical equipment 3.

Herein, for example, let's assume the electrical equipment 3 which cancommunicate with the information panel 1 to be a gas hot-water supplier.If a control request for the gas hot-water supplier which is generatedin the cellular telephone 5 is a request to start hot-water supply to abath, the transmission and reception section 51 of the cellulartelephone 5 transmits the control request signal 165 to the transmissionand reception section 21 of the server 2. The transmission and receptionsection 21 of the server 2 receives the control request signal 165 whichhas been transmitted by the transmission and reception section 51 of thecellular telephone 5. Then, it transmits the request response UDP 166 tostart the hot-water supply to the bath to the first transmission andreception section 11 of the information panel 1. The first transmissionand reception section 11 of the information panel 1 receives the requestresponse UDP 166 from the server 2. The second transmission andreception section 12 of the information panel 1 transmits, to the gashot-water supplier, the control processing signal 168 for starting thehot-water supply to the bath.

Through the above described series of information transfers, the gashot-water supplier starts to supply hot water to the bath. Besides, thetransmission and reception section 31 of the gas hot-water suppliertransmits, to the second transmission and reception section 12 of theinformation panel 1, the state change information 169 on a change in thestate of the gas hot-water supplier. It includes, for example, startingto supply hot water to the bath, finishing the hot-water supply after apredetermined time elapses and the volume of hot water supplied to thebath reaches a proper quantity, or the like. The second transmission andreception section 12 of the information panel 1 receives the statechange information 169 from the gas hot-water supplier. The firsttransmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1transmits the result TCP 170 to the transmission and reception section21 of the server 2. The transmission and reception section 21 of theserver 2 receives the result TCP 170 which has been transmitted by thefirst transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1.The transmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 transmits theresult signal 171 to the transmission and reception section 51 of thecellular telephone 5. The transmission and reception section 51 of thecellular telephone 5 receives the result signal 171 which has beentransmitted by the transmission and reception section 21 of the server2. Thus, the series of pieces of information transfer processing iscompleted. Naturally, the electrical equipment 3 may also be equipmentexcept a gas hot-water supplier, and the information network 4 may alsobe except for the Internet. Needless to say, a control request can alsobe other than starting to supply hot water to a bath. Besides, it isnatural that the information panel 1 continues to send out a periodicUDP like the periodic UDP 173, even after the series of informationtransfers is completed.

Herein, a periodic UDP not necessarily continues to be sent out at afixed interval, as long as it is sent out substantially at a certaininterval. In addition, for a signal based on a UDP protocol, an ACKsignal is not returned when it is transferred. Hence, it becomes lessreliable than a signal based on a TCP protocol. Therefore, if thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 receives theperiodic UDPs 161, 163, 172, it transmits the confirmation UDPs 162,164, 173 to the first transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1. In this way, for the periodic UDPs 161, 163, 172,the confirmation UDPs 162, 164, 173 are sent out from the server 2 tothe information panel 1, so that the information transfer becomes morereliable. Moreover, in the same way, the confirmation UDP 167 is sentout for the request response UDP 166. Thereby, the above describeddisadvantages can be resolved, thus heightening the reliability of theinformation transfer.

Furthermore, the information panel 1 includes the display section 13 orthe operation section 14. Thereby, in the information panel 1,information can be confirmed, such as the state of the electricalequipment 3 and the confirmation of the communication state with theserver 2. This presents an extremely great advantage, such as settingthe contents of information sending. Besides, if the cellular telephone5 is provided with a display section, the display section provided inthe cellular telephone 5 can display state change information which isincluded in the result signal 171 that has been received by thetransmission and reception section 51. This makes it possible for a userto confirm the state of the electrical equipment 3 outdoors.

Herein, the electrical equipment 3 is not necessarily controlled bycommunicating with the information panel 1. Needless to say, it may alsobe directly connected to a terminal of the information panel 1 or thelike, so that it can be controlled. Besides, the request response UDP166 may also be a signal of a TCP protocol. In that case, there is noneed for the confirmation UDP 167 with respect to the request responseUDP 166. Thereby, using a signal based on a TCP protocol, a requestresponse information can be certainly transmitted.

Moreover, in this embodiment, description is given about the transfer ofinformation for controlling the electrical equipment 3. Needless to say,in the same way as described above, the present invention can be appliedto the control of the information panel 1 itself, or the transfer ofinformation like life information, such as a weather forecast, atimetable, the present time, a gas consumption, a power consumption, awater consumption, a gas rate, a power rate and a water rate, or thelike. Furthermore, the electrical equipment 3 according to thisembodiment may also be various meters, such as a gas meter, anelectric-power meter and a water meter. If the electrical equipment 3 isvarious meters such as a gas meter, an electric-power meter and a watermeter, the information transfer system may also be applied to aninformation transfer for executing control such as the remote cutoff andremote return (opening) of a meter. Moreover, needless to say, the statechange information 169, the result TCP 170 and the result signal 171 mayalso be sent out, not only when a change is made in the state of theelectrical equipment 3, the information panel 1, or the like, but alsowhen the state at a fixed point of time of the electrical equipment 3,the information panel 1 or the like is transferred at regular intervals.

Hence, before a communication request is received which is transmittedfrom the transmission and reception section 51 of the cellular telephone5, the transmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 receivesinformation (or a periodic UDP) based on a connectionless-type protocolwhich is periodically transmitted from the information panel 1. Thereby,the session remains connected between it and the first transmission andreception section 11 of the information panel 1. Therefore, thetransmission and reception section 21 can issue, to thetransmission-origin address of the periodic UDP, request responseinformation (or a request response UDP) based on a connectionless-typeprotocol or request response information (or a request response TCP)based on a connection-type protocol, instantly without waiting for thefollowing periodic UDP. Thus, the information transfer can be executedwithout a time lag from the communication-request generation in thecellular telephone 5 to the transmission of the request response UDP orrequest response TCP. Therefore, the time interval can be shortened fromthe generation of a control request in the cellular telephone 5 to thetransfer of information to the information panel 1. Thereby, informationprovision or control can be realized in real time.

In addition, result information based on a connection-type protocol isreceived by the transmission and reception section 21 of the server 2,and the received result information is transmitted as a result signal tothe cellular telephone 5. Therefore, the state of the information panel1 can be transferred to the server 2, using result information based ona connection-type protocol. In addition, the state of the informationpanel 1 can be transferred from the server 2 as a result signal to thecellular telephone 5.

Herein, the information transfer according to the second embodiment willbe more specifically described. FIG. 9 is a block diagram, morespecifically showing the information transfer according to the secondembodiment. Herein, in the following description, an example isdescribed in which the electrical equipment is applied as a hot-waterusage apparatus. The hot-water usage apparatus is an apparatus whichcreates hot water using an energy source such as gas, electric power andoil, and supplies the hot water which is used directly in a bath, akitchen, a washroom or the like. In addition, it is an apparatus whichhas the function of, using the hot water it creates, floor heating,bathroom heating, bathroom drying, heating by a fan heater or an airconditioner, or the like.

An information transfer system 60 shown in FIG. 9 is configured by theinformation panel 1, the server 2, the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a andthe cellular telephone 5. Herein, the configuration of the informationpanel 1, the server 2 and the cellular telephone 5 in the informationtransfer system 60 shown in FIG. 9 is the same as the configuration ofthe information panel 1, the server 2 and the cellular telephone 5 shownin FIG. 7. Hence, it is given the same reference numerals, and thus, itsdetailed description is omitted. Therefore, in the followingdescription, only the configurations are described which are differentfrom those of the information transfer system 50 shown in FIG. 7.

The information panel 1 is communicably connected to the server 2, viaan information network 4 (hereinafter, referred to as the network 4). Itis, for example, a controller which controls the hot-water usageapparatus 3 a. The information panel 1 is made up of a firsttransmission and reception section 11, a second transmission andreception section 12, a display section 13, an operation section 14, anda control section 15. Herein, the information panel 1 according to thisembodiment is a controller which controls the hot-water usage apparatus3 a. However, the present invention is not limited only to this. It mayalso be, for example, a remote controller, a personal computer, atelevision, or the like. In addition, the information panel 1 may alsocontrol not only the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a but also anotherpiece of electrical equipment.

The server 2 is communicably connected via the network 4 to theinformation panel 1 and is also communicably connected, via thecell-phone network 6 and the network 4, to the cellular telephone 5. Itis made up of the transmission and reception section 21, a triggergeneration section 22, a buffer 23, and a control section 24. Herein, inthis embodiment, the server 2 may also be information equipment, such asa personal computer, a portable terminal and a mobile phone.

The hot-water usage apparatus 3 a is formed by a heat source equipment32, a bath remote controller 33, a floor heater 34, and a bathroom dryer35. The heat source equipment 32 creates and supplies hot water, usinggas, electricity or oil as an energy source. It is a so-called waterboiler. The heat source equipment 32 has a hot-water supplying functionof supplying the hot water it creates to a bath, a kitchen, a washroom,or the like. It also has a heating function of using the hot water itcreates as a heat source of floor heating, a bathroom heater, a bathroomdryer, a fan heater, an air conditioner, or the like. Besides, the heatsource equipment 32 is provided with the transmission and receptionsection 31. The transmission and reception section 31 transmitsinformation to the second transmission and reception section 12 of theinformation panel 1, and receives information which is transmitted bythe second transmission and reception section 12 of the informationpanel 1. The bath remote controller 33 controls a hot-water supply orthe like and is mainly installed in a bath. The floor heater 34 warms afloor, using the hot water which is created by the heat source equipment32. The bathroom dryer 35 dries a bathroom, using the hot water which iscreated by the heat source equipment 32. Herein, the floor heater 34 andthe bathroom dryer 35 may also be equipment which uses the hot water ofa bathroom heater, a fan heater, an air conditioner, or the like.

Next, the operation of the information transfer system 60 shown in FIG.9 will be described. Herein, the following description is given withreference to the information transfer procedure shown in FIG. 8.

The first transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel1 periodically transmits, to the server 2, IP address information (or aperiodic UDP) based on a UDP protocol. The transmission and receptionsection 21 of the server 2 receives the periodic UDP which istransmitted by the first transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1. Then, it transmits confirmation information (or aconfirmation UDP) based on a UDP protocol to the first transmission andreception section 11 of the information panel 1. The first transmissionand reception section 11 of the information panel 1 receives theconfirmation UDP which is transmitted by the transmission and receptionsection 21 of the server 2.

Herein, the transmission and reception section 51 of the cellulartelephone 5 transmits, to the transmission and reception section 21 ofthe server 2, for example, a control request signal 165 for thehot-water usage apparatus 3 a which can communicate with the informationpanel 1. Specifically, for example, the control request signal 165 forturning on the floor heater 34 which is connected to the heat sourceequipment 32. The transmission and reception section 21 of the server 2receives the control request signal 165 which has been transmitted bythe cellular telephone 5. At this time, between the server 2 and theinformation panel 1, a session is established by the periodic UDP 163which is issued from the information panel 1. Then, the transmission andreception section 21 of the server 2 promptly transmits the requestresponse UDP 166 to the IP address of the information panel 1 at thepoint of time, or the transmission-origin address of the periodic UDP163.

The first transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel1 receives the request response UDP 166 which has been transmitted bythe transmission and reception section 21 of the server 2. Then, ittransmits the confirmation UDP 167 to the transmission and receptionsection 21 of the server 2. The transmission and reception section 21 ofthe server 2 receives the confirmation UDP 167 which is transmitted bythe first transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel1. The information panel 1 which has received the request response UDP166 transfers a control processing signal 168 from the secondtransmission and reception section 12 to the transmission and receptionsection 31 of the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a, so that the hot-waterusage apparatus 3 a can be controlled as prescribed. Herein, theprescribed control means, for example, various kinds of control such asdefault control and timer control which the hot-water usage apparatus 3a has, various types of setting such as timer setting, or the like. Inother words, if the control request which has been transmitted by thetransmission and reception section 51 of the cellular telephone 5 is arequest to start hot-water supply to a bath, the transmission andreception section 21 of the server 2 transmits the request response UDP166 to the first transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1. The first transmission and reception section 11 ofthe information panel 1 receives the request response UDP 166 which hasbeen transmitted by the transmission and reception section 21 of theserver 2. The second transmission and reception section 12 of theinformation panel 1 transmits, to the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a, thecontrol processing signal 168 for starting the hot-water supply to thebath. The transmission and reception section 31 of the hot-water usageapparatus 3 a receives the control processing signal 168 which has beentransmitted by the second transmission and reception section 12 of theinformation panel 1.

Through the above described series of information transfers, thehot-water usage apparatus 3 a starts to supply hot water to the bath.Besides, the transmission and reception section 31 of the hot-waterusage apparatus 3 a transmits, to the second transmission and receptionsection 12 of the information panel 1, the state change information 169relating to a change in the state of the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a.It includes, for example, starting to supply hot water to the bath,finishing the hot-water supply after a predetermined time elapses andthe volume of hot water supplied to the bath reaches a proper quantity,or the like. The second transmission and reception section 12 of theinformation panel 1 receives the state change information 169 from thehot-water usage apparatus 3 a. The first transmission and receptionsection 11 of the information panel 1 transmits the result TCP 170 tothe transmission and reception section 21 of the server 2. Thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 receives theresult TCP 170 which has been transmitted by the first transmission andreception section 11 of the information panel 1 and transmits the resultsignal 171 which is state change information to the transmission andreception section 51 of the cellular telephone 5. The transmission andreception section 51 of the cellular telephone 5 receives the resultsignal 171 which has been transmitted by the transmission and receptionsection 21 of the server 2, so that the series of pieces of informationtransfer processing is completed.

Herein, the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a is not necessarily controlledby communicating with the information panel 1. Needless to say, it mayalso be directly connected to a terminal of the information panel 1 orthe like, so that it can be controlled. Besides, the request responseUDP 166 may also be a signal of a TCP protocol. In that case, there isno need for the confirmation UDP 167 with respect to the requestresponse UDP 166. Thereby, using a signal based on a TCP protocol, arequest response information can be certainly transmitted.

Moreover, needless to say, the state change information 169, the resultTCP 170 and the result signal 171 may also be sent out, not only when achange is made in the state of the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a, theinformation panel 1, or the like, but also when the state at a fixedpoint of time of the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a, the informationpanel 1 or the like is transferred at regular intervals.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, an example is described in which theelectrical equipment 3 is applied to the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a.However, the present invention is not limited only to this. Theelectrical equipment 3 may also be applied to a security apparatus inwhich various sensors, such as an opening-and-shutting sensor, ahuman-presence sensor, a fire sensor and a gas-leakage sensor, keep awatch, and the sensors operate to issue a voice or a report, or to allowa security guard to rush to a house. Besides, the electrical equipment 3may also be an air conditioner, a washing machine, heating cookingequipment such as a microwave oven, a rice cooker and an IH cooker, or afreezing refrigeration apparatus such as a refrigerator, a freezer, afreezing refrigerator.

Next, description is given of an information transfer system accordingto a variation of the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG.10 is a block diagram, showing the whole configuration of theinformation transfer system according to the variation of the secondembodiment. The component elements which have the same referencenumerals as those of the information transfer system 50 according to thesecond embodiment shown in FIG. 7, have the identical functions. Aninformation transfer system 70 shown in FIG. 10 is configured by theinformation panel 1, the server 2, the electrical equipment 3′ and thecellular telephone 5. Herein, as the electrical equipment 3′, variouskinds of equipment can be used in the same way as the electricalequipment 3 according to the second embodiment. The electrical equipment3′ is directly connected to a terminal of the information panel 1, sothat it can be controlled by the information panel 1. Therefore, theinformation panel 1 is different from that of the information transfersystem 50 shown in FIG. 7. It is made up only of a transmission andreception section 11, the display section 13, the operation section 14,and the control section 15.

Herein, the information panel 1 according to this embodiment is acontroller which controls the electrical equipment 3′. However, thepresent invention is not limited only to this. It may also be, forexample, a remote controller, a personal computer, a television, or thelike. In addition, the information panel 1 may also control a pluralityof pieces of electrical equipment, not a single piece of electricalequipment. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the server 2 may also beinformation equipment, such as a personal computer, a portable terminaland a mobile phone.

FIG. 11 is a diagram, showing an information transfer procedure of theinformation transfer system 70 according to the variation of the secondembodiment shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 11 shows the exchange of informationby the transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1,the transmission and reception section 21 of the server 2, theelectrical equipment 3′ and the transmission and reception section 51 ofthe cellular telephone 5. Reference numerals 181 to 194 designate thecontents of each piece of information. Herein, in FIG. 11, periodic UDPs181, 183, 193 represent IP address information which the informationpanel 1 transmits periodically based on a UDP protocol. ConfirmationUDPs 182, 184, 194 represent confirmation information which the server 2issues, for the periodic UDPs 181, 183, 193 from the information panel1, based on the UDP protocol. A request UDP 186 indicates requestinformation which the server 2 issues based on the UDP protocol. Arequest confirmation TCP 187 indicates request confirmation informationwhich the information panel 1 issues, for the request UDP 186 from theserver 2, based on the TCP protocol. A request response TCP 188indicates request response information which the server 2 issues, forthe request confirmation TCP 187 from the information panel 1, based onthe TCP protocol. A result TCP 191 indicates result information whichthe information panel 1 issues based on a TCP protocol. For example, theresult TCP 191 is state-change data on the electrical equipment 3′, aresponse result to a control request, or the like. For example, if theelectrical equipment 3′ is a gas hot-water supplier, then using theresult TCP 191, information on the gas hot-water supplier is transferredthrough the information panel 1 to the server 2. Such informationincludes, as a control instruction for the gas hot-water supplier,starting to supply hot water to a bath or finishing hot-water supplyafter a predetermined time elapses and the volume of hot water suppliedinto a bathtub reaches a proper quantity. Of course, the electricalequipment 3′ may also be equipment except a gas hot-water supplier, andneedless to say, a control request can also be other than starting tosupply hot water to a bath.

Herein, in this embodiment, a UDP protocol is used as theconnectionless-type protocol, and a TCP protocol is used as theconnection-type protocol. However, the present invention is not limitedonly to this. Connectionless-type protocols other than a UDP protocolmay also be used, and connection-type protocols other than a TCPprotocol may also be used.

Next, the operation of the information transfer system 70 shown in FIG.10 will be described using the information transfer procedure shown inFIG. 11. In this embodiment, the information panel 1 is connected to thenetwork (or the Internet) 4. An IP address which the information panel 1has is not connected to the network 4 through a global address that isconstantly fixed, but connected to the network 4 through an IP addressthat is sequentially switched by a provider or the like. Therefore, theIP address of the information panel 1 is not a fixed address, and thus,the server 2 cannot become constantly aware of the IP address of theinformation panel 1. Hence, when a trigger is generated in the triggergeneration section 22 of the server 2, the information panel 1 transmitsIP address information periodically so as to inform the server 2 of theIP address of the information panel 1 at the point of time. This is theperiodic UDPs 181, 183, 193 shown in FIG. 11. In this way, theinformation panel 1 transmits the IP address information periodically tothe server 2, so that the server 2 can certainly transfer theinformation to the information panel 1. Thus, it can certainly controlthe information panel 1 and can certainly monitor the state of theinformation panel 1.

Herein, the interval of time from the transmission of the periodic UDP181 to the transmission of the periodic UDP 183 by the firsttransmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1 ispreset, for example, at two minutes. Besides, there is a case where if acertain time passes, the session of the information panel 1 and theserver 2 is automatically opened. In this case, the transmission andreception section 11 of the information panel 1 may also transmit aperiodic UDP by detecting the session being opened.

In addition, the transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1 may also learn the time from the establishment of asession of the information panel 1 and the server 2 to the opening ofthe session. In that case, the interval of time at which a periodic UDPis transmitted can be set according to the learned time. Specifically,the transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1lengthens, little by little, the interval of time at which a periodicUDP is transmitted after the previous periodic UDP has been transmitted.If it cannot receive a confirmation UDP, it shortens the time intervalfrom the transmission of a periodic UDP to the transmission of thefollowing periodic UDP.

In this way, the period of time is learned from the establishment of asession of the information panel 1 and the server 2 to the opening ofthe session. Then, according to the learned time, the time interval isset from the transmission of information based on a connectionless-typeprotocol to the transmission of information based on the nextconnectionless-type protocol. Therefore, the session of the informationpanel 1 and the server 2 can always be kept established, thus avoiding astate where the session stays opened. This is especially effective in acase where the session is automatically opened.

The transmission and reception section 51 of the cellular telephone 5transmits a control request signal 185 to the transmission and receptionsection 21 of the server 2. The transmission and reception section 21 ofthe server 2 receives the control request signal 185 which has beentransmitted by the cellular telephone 5. At this time, between theserver 2 and the information panel 1, a session is established by theperiodic UDP 183 which is issued from the information panel 1. Then, thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 promptly transmitsthe request UDP 186 to the IP address of the information panel 1 at thepoint of time, or the transmission-origin address of the periodic UDP183.

Herein, for example, if the periodic UDP 183 is a signal based on a TCPprotocol, then at the point of time when the communication of theperiodic signal of the TCP protocol is completed, a series of pieces ofprocessing is executed such as returning an ACK signal from the server 2to the information panel 1. Thereafter, the session of the server 2 andthe information panel 1 is opened. Therefore, at the point of time whenthe session has been opened, the server 2 cannot become aware of the IPaddress of the information panel 1. This makes it impossible for thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 to transmit therequest UDP 186 instantly when the control request signal 185 has beengenerated.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, the periodic UDP 183 is a signalbased on a UDP protocol, and thus, the session is not necessarily openedat the point of time when the communication is completed. Therefore,when the control request signal 185 is produced, the server 2 is awareof the IP address of the information panel 1 at the point of time.Hence, the transmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 cantransmit the request UDP 186 immediately to the information panel 1. Thetransmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1 whichhas received the request UDP 186 transmits the request confirmation TCP187 to the server 2. The transmission and reception section 21 of theserver 2 receives the request confirmation TCP 187 which has beentransmitted by the transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1. Then, it transmits the request response TCP 188 tothe transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1.

Herein, the server 2 receives the control request signal 185 and doesnot instantly send out the request response TCP 188. It transmits therequest UDP 186 and sends out the request response TCP 188 afterreceiving the request confirmation TCP 187. This is because much of theinformation of the information panel 1 inside of the server 2 in thestage where the control request signal 185 has been generated, or theinformation except the IP address information of the information panel 1at the point of time when a transfer has been executed through theperiodic UDP 183, has some doubt as to its immediacy. For example, evenif the periodic UDP 183 includes the state information on the electricalequipment 3′ or the information panel 1 itself, before the controlrequest signal 185 is generated, a change in the state of the electricalequipment 3′ may be taking place, such as whether it has been turned onor off, or whether it is now supplying hot water or it has finishedsupplying hot water. Hence, it is not necessarily correct. Therefore, inthe case where the electrical equipment 3′ or the information panel 1itself is controlled, or in the case where information is transferred,control needs to be executed by accurately recognizing the stateinformation such as the on-and-off state, temperature-setting state andtimer-setting state of the electrical equipment 3′ at the point of timewhen the control request signal 185 has been generated. Besides, in thecase where a measure to lessen the information of a periodic UDP to theutmost or the like is taken so that traffic on the Internet 4 can belightened, the information which is transferred by the periodic UDP 183is reduced. Thus, in order to become aware of the information at thepoint of time when the control request signal 185 has been generated,the information has to be confirmed over again. Hence, a procedure isexecuted in which the request UDP 186 is first sent out to theinformation panel 1, then the request confirmation TCP 187 includingvarious kinds of information is sent out from the information panel 1,and after this, the server 2 sends out the request response TCP 188 tothe information panel 1.

The information panel 1 which has received the request response TCP 188outputs a control processing signal 189 to the electrical equipment 3′,so that the electrical equipment 3′ can be controlled as prescribed.Herein, the prescribed control means, for example, various kinds ofcontrol such as default control and timer control which the electricalequipment 3′ has, various types of setting such as timer setting, or thelike. When the state of the electrical equipment 3′ changes according tothe result of control by the control processing signal 189 or the like,state change information 190 is outputted from the electrical equipment3′ to the information panel 1. Then, the result is transferred as theresult TCP 191 to the server 2, and a result signal 192 which is statechange information is transferred from the server 2 to the cellulartelephone 5. Thus, the series of information transfers is completed.Herein, the state of the electrical equipment 3′ indicates anelectrically-detectable state of the electrical equipment 3′.

Herein, for example, let's assume the electrical equipment 3′ which cancommunicate with the information panel 1 to be a gas hot-water supplier.If a control request for the gas hot-water supplier which is generatedin the cellular telephone 5 is a request to start hot-water supply to abath, the transmission and reception section 51 of the cellulartelephone 5 transmits the control request signal 185 to the transmissionand reception section 21 of the server 2. The transmission and receptionsection 21 of the server 2 receives the control request signal 185 whichhas been transmitted by the transmission and reception section 51 of thecellular telephone 5. Then, it transmits the request UDP 186 to startthe hot-water supply to the bath to the transmission and receptionsection 11 of the information panel 1. The transmission and receptionsection 11 of the information panel 1 receives the request UDP 186 whichhas been transmitted by the transmission and reception section 21 of theserver 2. Then, it transmits the request confirmation TCP 187 to thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2. The transmissionand reception section 21 of the server 2 receives the requestconfirmation TCP 187 which has been transmitted by the transmission andreception section 11 of the information panel 1, and transmits therequest response TCP 188. The transmission and reception section 11 ofthe information panel 1 receives the request response TCP 188 which hasbeen transmitted by the transmission and reception section 21 of theserver 2. Then, it outputs, to the gas hot-water supplier, the controlprocessing signal 189 for starting the hot-water supply to the bath.

Through the above described series of information transfers, the gashot-water supplier starts to supply hot water to the bath. Besides, thegas hot-water supplier outputs, to the information panel 1, the statechange information 190 on a change in the state of the gas hot-watersupplier. It includes, for example, starting to supply hot water to thebath, finishing the hot-water supply after a predetermined time elapsesand the volume of hot water supplied to the bath reaches a properquantity, or the like. Then, the state change information 190 from thegas hot-water supplier is inputted in the information panel 1. Thetransmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1transmits the result TCP 191 to the transmission and reception section21 of the server 2. The transmission and reception section 21 of theserver 2 receives the result TCP 191 which has been transmitted by thetransmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1 andtransmits the result signal 192 to the transmission and receptionsection 51 of the cellular telephone 5. The transmission and receptionsection 51 of the cellular telephone 5 receives the result signal 192which has been transmitted by the transmission and reception section 21of the server 2. Thus, the series of pieces of information transferprocessing is completed. Naturally, the electrical equipment 3′ may alsobe equipment except a gas hot-water supplier, and the informationnetwork 4 may also be except for the Internet. Needless to say, acontrol request can also be other than starting to supply hot water to abath. Besides, it is natural that the information panel 1 continues tosend out a periodic UDP like the periodic UDP 193, even after the seriesof information transfers is completed.

Herein, a periodic UDP does not necessarily continue to be sent out at afixed interval, as long as it is sent out substantially at a certaininterval. In addition, for a signal based on a UDP protocol, an ACKsignal is not returned when it is transferred. Hence, it becomes lessreliable than a signal based on a TCP protocol. Therefore, if thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 receives theperiodic UDPs 181, 183, 193, it transmits the confirmation UDPs 182,184, 194 to the transmission and reception section 11 of the informationpanel 1. In this way, for the periodic UDPs 181, 183, 193, theconfirmation UDPs 182, 184, 194 are sent out from the server 2 to theinformation panel 1, so that the information transfer becomes morereliable.

Furthermore, the information panel 1 includes the display section 13 orthe operation section 14. Thereby, in the information panel 1,information can be confirmed, such as the state of the electricalequipment 3′ and the confirmation of the communication state with theserver 2. This presents an extremely great advantage, such as settingthe contents of information sending. Besides, if the cellular telephone5 is provided with a display section, the display section provided inthe cellular telephone 5 can display state change information which isincluded in the result signal 192 that has been received by thetransmission and reception section 51. This makes it possible for a userto confirm the state of the electrical equipment 3 outdoors. Herein, theelectrical equipment 3′ is connected to a terminal of the informationpanel 1. Needless to say, however, it may also be controlled bycommunicating with the information panel 1.

Moreover, in this embodiment, description is given about the transfer ofinformation for controlling the electrical equipment 3′. Needless tosay, in the same was as described above, the present invention can beapplied to the control of the information panel 1 itself, or thetransfer of information like life information, such as a weatherforecast, a timetable, the present time, a gas consumption, a powerconsumption, a water consumption, a gas rate, a power rate and a waterrate, or the like. Furthermore, the electrical equipment 3′ according tothis embodiment may also be various meters, such as a gas meter, anelectric-power meter and a water meter. If the electrical equipment 3′is various meters such as a gas meter, an electric-power meter and awater meter, the information transfer system may also be applied to aninformation transfer for executing control such as the remote cutoff andremote return (opening) of a meter. Moreover, needless to say, the statechange information 190, the result TCP 191 and the result signal 192 mayalso be sent out, not only when a change is made in the state of theelectrical equipment 3′, the information panel 1, or the like, but alsowhen the state at a fixed point of time of the electrical equipment 3′,the information panel 1 or the like is transferred at regular intervals.

Herein, the information transfer according to the variation of thesecond embodiment will be more specifically described. FIG. 12 is ablock diagram, more specifically showing the information transferaccording to the variation of the second embodiment. Herein, in thefollowing description, an example is described in which the electricalequipment is applied as a hot-water usage apparatus. The hot-water usageapparatus is an apparatus which creates hot water using an energy sourcesuch as gas, electric power and oil, and supplies the hot water which isused directly in a bath, a kitchen, a washroom or the like. In addition,it is an apparatus which has the function of, using the hot water itcreates, floor heating, bathroom heating, bathroom drying, heating by afan heater or an air conditioner, or the like.

An information transfer system 80 shown in FIG. 12 is configured by theinformation panel 1, the server 2, the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a′and the cellular telephone 5. Herein, the configuration of theinformation panel 1, the server 2 and the cellular telephone 5 in theinformation transfer system 80 shown in FIG. 12 is the same as theconfiguration of the information panel 1, the server 2 and the cellulartelephone 5 in the information transfer system 70 shown in FIG. 10.Hence, it is given the same reference numerals, and thus, its detaileddescription is omitted. Therefore, in the following description, onlythe configurations are given which are different from those of theinformation transfer system 70 shown in FIG. 10.

The information panel 1 is communicably connected to the server 2, viaan information network 4 (hereinafter, referred to as the network 4). Itis, for example, a controller which controls the hot-water usageapparatus 3 a′. The information panel 1 is made up of a transmission andreception section 11, a display section 13, an operation section 14, anda control section 15. Herein, the information panel 1 according to thisembodiment is a controller which controls the hot-water usage apparatus3 a′. However, the present invention is not limited only to this. It mayalso be, for example, a remote controller, a personal computer, atelevision, or the like. In addition, the information panel 1 may alsocontrol not only the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a′ but also anotherpiece of electrical equipment.

The server 2 is communicably connected via the network 4 to theinformation panel 1 and is also communicably connected via thecell-phone network 6 and the network 4 to the cellular telephone 5. Itis made up of the transmission and reception section 21, a triggergeneration section 22, a buffer 23, and a control section 24. Herein, inthis embodiment, the server 2 may also be information equipment, such asa personal computer, a portable terminal and a mobile phone.

The hot-water usage apparatus 3 a′ is formed by a heat source equipment32, a bath remote controller 33, a floor heater 34, and a bathroom dryer35. The heat source equipment 32 creates and supplies hot water, usinggas, electricity or oil as an energy source. It is a so-called waterboiler. The heat source equipment 32 has a hot-water supplying functionof supplying the hot water it creates to a bath, a kitchen, a washroom,or the like. It also has a heating function of using the hot water itcreates as a heat source of floor heating, a bathroom heater, a bathroomdryer, a fan heater, an air conditioner, or the like. The bath remotecontroller 33 controls a hot-water supply or the like and is mainlyinstalled in a bath. The floor heater 34 warms a floor, using the hotwater which is created by the heat source equipment 32. The bathroomdryer 35 dries a bathroom, using the hot water which is created by theheat source equipment 32. Herein, the floor heater 34 and the bathroomdryer 35 may also be equipment which uses the hot water of a bathroomheater, a fan heater, an air conditioner, or the like.

Next, the operation of the information transfer system 80 shown in FIG.12 will be described. Herein, the following description is given withreference to the information transfer procedure shown in FIG. 11.

The transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1periodically transmits, to the server 2, IP address information (or aperiodic UDP) based on a UDP protocol. The transmission and receptionsection 21 of the server 2 receives the periodic UDP which istransmitted by the transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1. Then, it transmits confirmation information (or aconfirmation UDP) based on a UDP protocol to the transmission andreception section 11 of the information panel 1. The transmission andreception section 11 of the information panel 1 receives theconfirmation UDP which is transmitted by the transmission and receptionsection 21 of the server 2.

Herein, the transmission and reception section 51 of the cellulartelephone 5 transmits, to the transmission and reception section 21 ofthe server 2, for example, a control request signal 185 for thehot-water usage apparatus 3 a′ which can communicate with theinformation panel 1. Specifically, for example, the control requestsignal 185 for turning on the floor heater 34 which is connected to theheat source equipment 32. The transmission and reception section 21 ofthe server 2 receives the control request signal 185 which has beentransmitted by the cellular telephone 5. At this time, between theserver 2 and the information panel 1, a session is established by theperiodic UDP 183 which is issued from the information panel 1. Then, thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 promptly transmitsthe request response UDP 186 to the IP address of the information panel1 at the point of time, or the transmission-origin address of theperiodic UDP 183.

The transmission and reception section 11 of the information panel 1receives the request UDP 186 which has been transmitted by thetransmission and reception section 21 of the server 2. Then, ittransmits the request confirmation TCP 187 to the transmission andreception section 21 of the server 2. The transmission and receptionsection 21 of the server 2 receives the request confirmation TCP 187which is transmitted by the transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1. Then, it transmits the request response TCP 188 forthe request confirmation TCP 187 to the transmission and receptionsection 11 of the information panel 1. The information panel 1 which hasreceived the request response TCP 188 outputs a control processingsignal 189 to the heat source equipment 32 of the hot-water usageapparatus 3 a′, so that the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a′ can becontrolled as prescribed. Herein, the prescribed control means, forexample, various kinds of control such as default control and timercontrol which the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a′ has, various types ofsetting such as timer setting, or the like. In other words, if thecontrol request which has been transmitted by the transmission andreception section 51 of the cellular telephone 5 is a request to starthot-water supply to a bath, the transmission and reception section 21 ofthe server 2 transmits the request response TCP 188 to the transmissionand reception section 11 of the information panel 1. The transmissionand reception section 11 of the information panel 1 receives the requestresponse TCP 188 which has been transmitted by the transmission andreception section 21 of the server 2. The information panel 1 outputs,to the heat source equipment 32 of the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a′,the control processing signal 189 for starting the hot-water supply tothe bath. The control processing signal 189 which has been transmittedby the information panel 1 is inputted in the heat source equipment 32of the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a′.

Through the above described series of information transfers, thehot-water usage apparatus 3 a′ starts to supply hot water to the bath.Besides, the heat source equipment 32 of the hot-water usage apparatus 3a′ outputs, to the information panel 1, the state change information 190on a change in the state of the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a′. Itincludes, for example, starting to supply hot water to the bath,finishing the hot-water supply after a predetermined time elapses andthe volume of hot water supplied to the bath reaches a proper quantity,or the like. The state change information 190 from the hot-water usageapparatus 3 a′ is inputted in the information panel 1. The transmissionand reception section 11 of the information panel 1 transmits the resultTCP 191 to the transmission and reception section 21 of the server 2.The transmission and reception section 21 of the server 2 receives theresult TCP 191 which has been transmitted by the transmission andreception section 11 of the information panel 1, and transmits theresult signal 192 to the transmission and reception section 51 of thecellular telephone 5. The transmission and reception section 51 of thecellular telephone 5 receives the result signal 192 which has beentransmitted by the transmission and reception section 21 of the server2. Thus, the series of pieces of information transfer processing iscompleted.

Moreover, needless to say, the state change information 190, the resultTCP 191 and the result signal 192 may also be sent out, not only when achange is made in the state of the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a′, theinformation panel 1, or the like, but also when the state at a fixedpoint of time of the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a′, the informationpanel 1 or the like is transferred at regular intervals.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, an example is described in which theelectrical equipment 3 is applied to the hot-water usage apparatus 3 a,3 a′. However, the present invention is not limited only to this. Theelectrical equipment 3 may also be applied to a security apparatus inwhich various sensors, such as an opening-and-shutting sensor, ahuman-presence sensor, a fire sensor and a gas-leakage sensor, keep awatch, and the sensors operate to issue a voice or a report, or to allowa security guard to rush to a house. Besides, the electrical equipment 3may also be an air conditioner, a washing machine, heating cookingequipment such as a microwave oven, a rice cooker and an IH cooker, or afreezing refrigeration apparatus such as a refrigerator, a freezer, afreezing refrigerator.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, description is given about the remotecontrol of equipment. However, the present invention is not limited onlyto this. This art may also be used for a telemeter system which collectsthe state of equipment or a signal from a sensor.

In this embodiment, the first transmission and reception section 11 (orthe transmission and reception section 11) of the information panel 1may also detect the time from the establishment of a session to theopening of the session. In that case, if the detected time becomesshorter than a predetermined time, it notifies the information panel 1or the server 2 that the time when the session is kept established hasbecome shorter. Specifically, the first transmission and receptionsection 11 (or the transmission and reception section 11) of theinformation panel 1 lengthens, little by little, the interval of time atwhich a periodic UDP is transmitted after the previous periodic UDP hasbeen transmitted. If it cannot receive a confirmation UDP, it shortensthe time interval from the transmission of a periodic UDP to thetransmission of the following periodic UDP. Then, if this time intervalbecomes shorter than a predetermined time, it notifies the informationpanel 1 or the server 2 that the time when the session is establishedhas become shorter.

In this case, if the notification is given that the time when thesession is established has become shorter, the first transmission andreception section 11 of the information panel 1 sets the time intervalat which it transmits a periodic UDP, for example, to a predeterminedtime. Besides, if the notification is given that the time when thesession is established has become shorter, the transmission andreception section 21 of the server 2 sets the time interval from theestablishment to the opening of the session, for example, to apredetermined time. Herein, such a predetermined time is, for example,two minutes. In addition, in this embodiment, the information panel 1decides that the time when the session is kept established has becomeshorter than a predetermined time. However, the present invention is notlimited only to this. After the time when the session is established istransmitted to the server 2, the server 2 may also make a decision bycomparing it with a predetermined time.

In this way, the first transmission and reception section 11 of theinformation panel 1 detects the time from the establishment of a sessionto the opening of the session. If the detected time becomes shorter thana predetermined time, the information panel 1 or the server 2 isnotified that the time when the session is kept established has becomeshorter. Therefore, the amount of information which flows for a fixedtime on a network can be reduced, thus preventing a delay or a loss ofinformation.

Herein, the means described in this embodiment may also be implementedin the form of a program which co-operates a hard resource, such aselectrical-and-information equipment, a computer and a server includinga CPU (or a micro computer), an RAM, an ROM, a storage-and-recordingunit and an I/O. In such a program form, if a record is made in arecording medium such as magnetic media and optical media, or if adistribution is executed using a communication circuit such as theInternet, then the distribution and update of a new function, or itsinstallation, can be easily executed.

Summary of the Embodiments

Such various embodiments of the present invention as described above canbe summarized as described below.

In the information transfer system according to the present inventionwhere an electrical-equipment communication apparatus that communicateswith electrical equipment and an information communication apparatusthat is communicably connected, via a network, to theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus transfer informationmutually: the electrical-equipment communication apparatus includes atransmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receivinginformation, via the network, to and from the information communicationapparatus; the information communication apparatus includes atransmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receivinginformation, via the network, to and from the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus, and a trigger generating means for generating acommunication request trigger which requests to communicate with theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus; the transmitting andreceiving means of the electrical-equipment communication apparatusperiodically transmits information based on a connectionless-typeprotocol to the information communication apparatus; and thetransmitting and receiving means of the information communicationapparatus receives the information based on the connectionless-typeprotocol which is periodically transmitted by the transmitting andreceiving means of the electrical-equipment communication apparatus.When the communication request trigger is generated by the triggergenerating means, transmits request response information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, or request response information based on aconnection-type protocol, to a transmission-origin address of theinformation based on the connectionless-type protocol.

According to this configuration, before a communication request isgenerated in the trigger generating means, the transmitting andreceiving means of the information communication apparatus receivesinformation based on a connectionless-type protocol which isperiodically transmitted from the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus. Thereby, the session remains connected between it and thetransmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus. Therefore, the transmitting and receiving meansof the information communication apparatus can issue, to thetransmission-origin address of the information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, request response information based on aconnectionless-type protocol or request response information based on aconnection-type protocol, instantly without waiting for informationbased on the following connectionless-type protocol. Thus, theinformation transfer can be executed without a time lag from thecommunication-request generation in the trigger generating means to thetransmission of request response information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, or the request response information basedon the connection-type protocol. Therefore, the time interval can beshortened from the generation of a control request in the informationcommunication apparatus to the transfer of information to theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus. Thereby, informationprovision or control can be realized in real time.

Furthermore, in the above described information transfer system: thetransmitting and receiving means of the information communicationapparatus receives the information based on the connectionless-typeprotocol which is periodically transmitted by the transmitting andreceiving means of the electrical-equipment communication apparatus, andwhen the communication request trigger is generated by the triggergenerating means, transmits request information based on theconnectionless-type protocol to the transmission-origin address of theinformation based on the connectionless-type protocol; the transmittingand receiving means of the electrical-equipment communication apparatusreceives the request information which is transmitted by thetransmitting and receiving means of the information communicationapparatus, and transmits request confirmation information based on theconnection-type protocol to the information communication apparatus; andthe transmitting and receiving means of the information communicationapparatus receives the request confirmation information which istransmitted by the transmitting and receiving means of theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus, and transmits requestresponse information based on the connection-type protocol to thetransmission-origin address of the request confirmation information.

According to this configuration, before a communication request isgenerated in the trigger generating means, the transmitting andreceiving means of the information communication apparatus receivesinformation based on a connectionless-type protocol which isperiodically transmitted from the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus. Thereby, the session remains connected between it and thetransmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus. Therefore, the transmitting and receiving meansof the information communication apparatus can issue, to thetransmission-origin address of the information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, request information based on aconnectionless-type protocol, instantly without waiting for followinginformation based on the connectionless-type protocol. Thus, theinformation transfer can be executed without a time lag from thecommunication-request generation in the trigger generating means to thetransmission of request information based on the connectionless-typeprotocol. In addition, the request information based on theconnectionless-type protocol aims at transferring, to theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus, the fact that thecommunication request has been generated in the trigger generatingmeans. Hence, it includes a smaller amount of information than therequest response information based on a connectionless-type protocolwhich has detailed information such as the contents of communication.This helps reduce the amount of communication data on a network.

Moreover, in the above described information transfer system, thetransmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus receives the request response information whichis transmitted by the transmitting and receiving means of theinformation communication apparatus, and transmits result informationbased on the connection-type protocol to the transmission-origin addressof the request response information. According to this configuration,result information based on a connection-type protocol is transmitted tothe transmission-origin address of request response information, so thatthe state of the electrical-equipment communication apparatus can betransferred.

In addition, in the above described information transfer system, theinformation communication apparatus includes a server which iscommunicably connected via the network to the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus. According to this configuration, theinformation communication apparatus includes the server which iscommunicably connected, via the network, to the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus. Therefore, in the information transfer systemwhere the electrical-equipment communication apparatus that communicateswith the electrical equipment and the server that is communicablyconnected via the network to the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus transfer information mutually: the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus includes the transmitting and receiving meansfor transmitting and receiving information, via the network, to and fromthe server; and the server includes a transmitting and receiving meansfor transmitting and receiving information, via the network, to and fromthe electrical-equipment communication apparatus, and the triggergenerating means for generating a communication request trigger whichrequests to communicate with the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus. The transmitting and receiving means of theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus periodically transmitsinformation based on a connectionless-type protocol to the server; andthe transmitting and receiving means of the server receives theinformation based on the connectionless-type protocol which isperiodically transmitted by the transmitting and receiving means of theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus, and when the communicationrequest trigger is generated by the trigger generating means, transmitsrequest response information based on the connectionless-type protocol,or request response information based on a connection-type protocol, toa transmission-origin address of the information based on theconnectionless-type protocol. Therefore, the time interval can beshortened from the generation of a control request in the server to thetransfer of information to the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus. Thereby, information provision or control can be realized inreal time.

Furthermore, in the above described information transfer system: theinformation communication apparatus includes a server which iscommunicably connected, via the network, to the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus, and an information terminal which iscommunicably connected, via the network, to the server; the informationterminal has a transmitting means for transmitting, to the server, acommunication request trigger which requests to communicate with theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus; the server has atransmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receivinginformation, via the network, to and from the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus; and the transmitting and receiving means of theserver receives the information based on the connectionless-typeprotocol which is periodically transmitted by the transmitting andreceiving means of the electrical-equipment communication apparatus, andwhen receiving the communication request trigger which is transmitted bythe transmitting means of the information terminal, transmits requestresponse information based on the connectionless-type protocol, orrequest response information based on the connection-type protocol, tothe transmission-origin address of the information based on theconnectionless-type protocol.

According to this configuration, the information communication apparatusincludes a server which is communicably connected, via the network, tothe electrical-equipment communication apparatus, and an informationterminal which is communicably connected, via the network, to theserver. In the information transfer system where theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus that communicates with theelectrical equipment, the server that is communicably connected, via thenetwork, to the electrical-equipment communication apparatus and theinformation terminal that is communicably connected via the network tothe server, transfer information mutually: the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus includes the transmitting and receiving meansfor transmitting and receiving information, via the network, to and fromthe server; the server includes a transmitting and receiving means fortransmitting and receiving information, via the network, to and from theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus; and the informationterminal includes the transmitting means for transmitting acommunication request trigger which requests to communicate with theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus. The transmitting andreceiving means of the electrical-equipment communication apparatusperiodically transmits information based on a connectionless-typeprotocol to the server; the transmitting and receiving means of theserver receives the information based on the connectionless-typeprotocol which is periodically transmitted by the transmitting andreceiving means of the electrical-equipment communication apparatus andwhen receiving the communication request trigger which is transmitted bythe transmitting means of the information terminal, transmits requestresponse information based on the connectionless-type protocol, orrequest response information based on a connection-type protocol, to atransmission-origin address of the information based on theconnectionless-type protocol. Therefore, the time interval can beshortened from the generation of a control request in the informationterminal to the transfer of information to the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus. Thereby, information provision or control canbe realized in real time.

Moreover, in the above described information transfer system, thetransmitting and receiving means of the server receives the resultinformation, and transmits the result information as a result signal tothe information terminal. According to this configuration, the state ofthe electrical-equipment communication apparatus can be transferred,using the result information based on a connection-type protocol. Inaddition, the state of the electrical-equipment communication apparatuscan be transferred as the result signal from the server to theinformation terminal.

In addition, in the above described information transfer system, thetransmitting and receiving means of the information communicationapparatus receives the information based on the connectionless-typeprotocol which is periodically transmitted by the transmitting andreceiving means of the electrical-equipment communication apparatus, andat the time, transmits confirmation information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, or confirmation information based on theconnection-type protocol, to the transmission-origin address of theinformation based on the connectionless-type protocol. According to thisconfiguration, a transfer confirmation can be executed of theperiodically-transmitted information based on the connectionless-typeprotocol of which a communication transfer confirmation is not made as abasic protocol.

Furthermore, in the above described information transfer system, thetransmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus receives the request response information basedon the connectionless-type protocol, or the request information based onthe connectionless-type protocol, which is transmitted by thetransmitting and receiving means of the information communicationapparatus, and at the time, for the request response information or therequest information, transmits the confirmation information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, or the confirmation information based onthe connection-type protocol. According to this configuration, atransfer confirmation can be executed of the request responseinformation based on the connectionless-type protocol, or the requestinformation based on the connectionless-type protocol, of which acommunication transfer confirmation is not made as a basic protocol.

Moreover, in the above described information transfer system: theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus is incorporated into theelectrical equipment; and the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus controls the electrical equipment when the transmitting andreceiving means of the electrical-equipment communication apparatusreceives the request response information based on the connection-typeprotocol, or the request response information based on theconnectionless-type protocol. According to this configuration, when therequest response information based on the connection-type protocol, orthe request response information based on the connectionless-typeprotocol is received, the electrical equipment which is connected to theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus can be controlled.

In addition, in the above described information transfer system: theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus is incorporated into theelectrical equipment; and when the state of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus or the electrical equipment changes, thetransmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus transmits the change information on theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus or the electrical equipmentto the transmission-origin address of the request response informationbased on the connection-type protocol, or the request responseinformation based on the connectionless-type protocol, which istransmitted by the transmitting and receiving means of the informationcommunication apparatus. According to this configuration, theinformation communication apparatus can receive change state data on theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus or the electrical equipmentwhich is connected to the electrical-equipment communication apparatus.Thereby, the state of the electrical-equipment communication apparatusor the electrical equipment which has been changed through the controlcan be recognized.

Furthermore, in the above described information transfer system: theelectrical equipment includes a transmitting and receiving means fortransmitting and receiving information to and from theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus; and the transmitting andreceiving means of the electrical-equipment communication apparatusreceives the request response information based on the connection-typeprotocol, or the request response information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, which is transmitted by the transmittingand receiving means of the information communication apparatus, and atthe time, transmits a control signal to the transmitting and receivingmeans of the electrical equipment. According to this configuration, whenthe transmitting and receiving means of the electrical equipmentreceives the request response information based on the connection-typeprotocol or the request response information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, it transmits a control signal to thetransmitting and receiving means of the electrical equipment. Thereby,the electrical equipment connected to the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus can be controlled.

Moreover, in the above described information transfer system: theelectrical equipment includes a transmitting and receiving means fortransmitting and receiving information to and from theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus; the transmitting andreceiving means of the electrical equipment transmits change informationwhich indicates a change in the state of the electrical equipment to thetransmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus; the transmitting and receiving means of theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus receives the changeinformation; and when the state of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus or the electrical equipment changes, thetransmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus transmits the change information on theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus or the electrical equipmentto the transmission-origin address of the request response informationbased on the connection-type protocol, or the request responseinformation based on the connectionless-type protocol, which istransmitted by the transmitting and receiving means of the informationcommunication apparatus. According to this configuration, theinformation communication apparatus can receive change state data on theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus or the electrical equipmentwhich is connected to the electrical-equipment communication apparatus.Thereby, the state of the electrical-equipment communication apparatusor the electrical equipment which has been changed through the controlcan be recognized.

In addition, in the above described information transfer system, thetransmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus transmits the information based on theconnectionless-type protocol periodically to the address of theinformation communication apparatus. According to this configuration,the electrical-equipment communication apparatus can certainly transferthe information based on the connectionless-type protocol periodicallyto the information communication apparatus.

Furthermore, in the above described information transfer system,according to the time from the establishment of a session to the openingof the session, the transmitting and receiving means of theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus sets a time interval fromthe transmission of the information based on the connectionless-typeprotocol to the next transmission of the information based on theconnectionless-type protocol.

According to this configuration, a time interval from the transmissionof the information based on the connectionless-type protocol to the nexttransmission of the information based on the connectionless-typeprotocol is set according to the time from the establishment of asession to the opening of the session. Therefore, the session can alwaysbe kept established, thus avoiding a state where the session staysopened. This is especially effective in a case where the session isautomatically opened.

Moreover, in the above described information transfer system, thetransmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus detects the time from the establishment of asession to the opening of the session, and if the time is shorter than apredetermined time, notifies the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus or the information communication apparatus that the time whenthe session is establish is shorter.

According to this configuration, the time is detected from theestablishment of a session to the opening of the session. If thedetected time is shorter than a predetermined time, theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus or the informationcommunication apparatus is notified that the time when the session isestablish is shorter. Therefore, the amount of information which flowsfor a fixed time on a network can be reduced, thus preventing a delay ora loss of information.

In the information transfer method according to the present inventionwhere an electrical-equipment communication apparatus that communicateswith electrical equipment and an information communication apparatusthat is communicably connected, via a network, to theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus transfer informationmutually: the electrical-equipment communication apparatus includes atransmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receivinginformation, via the network, to and from the information communicationapparatus; the information communication apparatus includes atransmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receivinginformation via the network to and from the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus, and a trigger generating means for generating acommunication request trigger which requests to communicate with theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus; a transmitting step of, byusing the transmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus, periodically transmitting information based ona connectionless-type protocol to the information communicationapparatus; a receiving step of, by using the transmitting and receivingmeans of the information communication apparatus, receiving theinformation based on the connectionless-type protocol which isperiodically transmitted by the transmitting and receiving means of theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus; a trigger generating stepof, by using the trigger generating means, generating the communicationrequest trigger; and a transmitting step of, by using the transmittingand receiving means of the information communication apparatus, when thecommunication request trigger is generated in the trigger generatingstep, transmitting request response information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, or request response information based on aconnection-type protocol, to a transmission-origin address of theinformation based on the connectionless-type protocol.

According to this configuration, before a communication request isgenerated in the trigger generating means, the transmitting andreceiving means of the information communication apparatus receivesinformation based on a connectionless-type protocol which isperiodically transmitted from the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus. Thereby, the session remains connected between it and thetransmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus. Therefore, the transmitting and receiving meansof the information communication apparatus can issue, to thetransmission-origin address of the information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, request response information based on aconnectionless-type protocol or request response information based on aconnection-type protocol, instantly without waiting for informationbased on the following connectionless-type protocol. Thus, theinformation transfer can be executed without a time lag from thecommunication-request generation in the trigger generating means to thetransmission of request response information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, or the request response information basedon the connection-type protocol. Therefore, the time interval can beshortened from the generation of a control request in the informationcommunication apparatus to the transfer of information to theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus. Thereby, informationprovision or control can be realized in real time.

In the electrical-equipment communication apparatus according to thepresent invention which is communicably connected, via a network, to aninformation communication apparatus that includes a transmitting andreceiving means for transmitting and receiving information, via thenetwork, and a trigger generating means for generating a communicationrequest trigger which requests to communicate: a transmitting andreceiving means is provided for transmitting and receiving informationvia the network to and from the information communication apparatus; andthe transmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus periodically transmits information based on aconnectionless-type protocol to the information communication apparatus,and after the communication request trigger is generated by the triggergenerating means, receives request response information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, or request response information based on aconnection-type protocol, which is transmitted to a transmission-originaddress of the information based on the connectionless-type protocol bythe transmitting and receiving means of the information communicationapparatus.

According to this configuration, before a communication request isgenerated in the trigger generating means, the transmitting andreceiving means of the information communication apparatus receivesinformation based on a connectionless-type protocol which isperiodically transmitted from the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus. Thereby, the session remains connected between it and thetransmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus. Therefore, the transmitting and receiving meansof the information communication apparatus can issue, to thetransmission-origin address of the information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, request response information based on aconnectionless-type protocol or request response information based on aconnection-type protocol, instantly without waiting for followinginformation based on the connectionless-type protocol. Thus, theinformation transfer can be executed without a time lag from thecommunication-request generation in the trigger generating means to thetransmission of request response information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, or the request response information basedon the connection-type protocol. Therefore, the time interval can beshortened from the generation of a control request in the informationcommunication apparatus to the transfer of information to theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus. Thereby, informationprovision or control can be realized in real time.

In the information communication apparatus according to the presentinvention which is communicably connected, via a network, to anelectrical-equipment communication apparatus that includes atransmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receivinginformation via the network: a transmitting and receiving means isprovided for transmitting and receiving information, via the network, toand from the electrical-equipment communication apparatus; a triggergenerating means is provided for generating a communication requesttrigger which requests to communicate with the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus; and the transmitting and receiving means of theinformation communication apparatus receives the information based onthe connectionless-type protocol which is periodically transmitted bythe transmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus, and when the communication request trigger isgenerated by the trigger generating means, transmits request responseinformation based on the connectionless-type protocol, or requestresponse information based on a connection-type protocol, to atransmission-origin address of the information based on theconnectionless-type protocol.

According to this configuration, before a communication request isgenerated in the trigger generating means, the transmitting andreceiving means of the information communication apparatus receivesinformation based on a connectionless-type protocol which isperiodically transmitted from the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus. Thereby, the session remains connected between it and thetransmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus. Therefore, the transmitting and receiving meansof the information communication apparatus can issue, to thetransmission-origin address of the information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, request response information based on aconnectionless-type protocol or request response information based on aconnection-type protocol, instantly without waiting for informationbased on the following connectionless-type protocol. Thus, theinformation transfer can be executed without a time lag from thecommunication-request generation in the trigger generating means to thetransmission of request response information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, or the request response information basedon the connection-type protocol. Therefore, the time interval can beshortened from the generation of a control request in the informationcommunication apparatus to the transfer of information to theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus. Thereby, informationprovision or control can be realized in real time.

In the computer-readable recording medium with the communication controlprogram according to the present invention for controlling anelectrical-equipment communication apparatus which is communicablyconnected, via a network, to an information communication apparatus thatincludes a transmitting and receiving means for transmitting andreceiving information, via the network, and a trigger generating meansfor generating a communication request trigger which requests tocommunicate: the communication control program allows a computer tofunction as a transmitting and receiving means for transmitting andreceiving information, via the network, to and from the informationcommunication apparatus; and the transmitting and receiving means of theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus periodically transmitsinformation based on a connectionless-type protocol to the informationcommunication apparatus, and after the communication request trigger isgenerated by the trigger generating means, receives request responseinformation based on the connectionless-type protocol, or requestresponse information based on a connection-type protocol, which istransmitted to a transmission-origin address of the information based onthe connectionless-type protocol by the transmitting and receiving meansof the information communication apparatus.

According to this configuration, before a communication request isgenerated in the trigger generating means, the transmitting andreceiving means of the information communication apparatus receivesinformation based on a connectionless-type protocol which isperiodically transmitted from the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus. Thereby, the session remains connected between it and thetransmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus. Therefore, the transmitting and receiving meansof the information communication apparatus can issue, to thetransmission-origin address of the information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, request response information based on aconnectionless-type protocol or request response information based on aconnection-type protocol, instantly without waiting for followinginformation based on the connectionless-type protocol. Thus, theinformation transfer can be executed without a time lag from thecommunication-request generation in the trigger generating means to thetransmission of request response information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, or the request response information basedon the connection-type protocol. Therefore, the time interval can beshortened from the generation of a control request in the informationcommunication apparatus to the transfer of information to theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus. Thereby, informationprovision or control can be realized in real time.

In the computer-readable recording medium with the communication controlprogram according to the present invention for controlling aninformation communication apparatus which is communicably connected, viaa network, to an electrical-equipment communication apparatus thatincludes a transmitting and receiving means for transmitting andreceiving information via the network: the communication control programallows a computer to function as a transmitting and receiving means fortransmitting and receiving information via the network to and from theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus, and a trigger generatingmeans for generating a communication request trigger which requests tocommunicate with the electrical-equipment communication apparatus; andthe transmitting and receiving means of the information communicationapparatus receives the information based on the connectionless-typeprotocol which is periodically transmitted by the transmitting andreceiving means of the electrical-equipment communication apparatus, andwhen the communication request trigger is generated by the triggergenerating means, transmits request response information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, or request response information based on aconnection-type protocol, to a transmission-origin address of theinformation based on the connectionless-type protocol.

According to this configuration, before a communication request isgenerated in the trigger generating means, the transmitting andreceiving means of the information communication apparatus receivesinformation based on a connectionless-type protocol which isperiodically transmitted from the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus. Thereby, the session remains connected between it and thetransmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus. Therefore, the transmitting and receiving meansof the information communication apparatus can issue, to thetransmission-origin address of the information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, request response information based on aconnectionless-type protocol or request response information based on aconnection-type protocol, instantly without waiting for followinginformation based on the connectionless-type protocol. Thus, theinformation transfer can be executed without a time lag from thecommunication-request generation in the trigger generating means to thetransmission of request response information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, or the request response information basedon the connection-type protocol. Therefore, the time interval can beshortened from the generation of a control request in the informationcommunication apparatus to the transfer of information to theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus. Thereby, informationprovision or control can be realized in real time.

The present invention has been described in detail, but the abovedescription is an illustration in all aspects. Thus, the presentinvention is not limited to this. It will be seen that numerousvariations which are not illustrated can be expected without departingfrom the scope of the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

An information transfer system, an information transfer method, anelectrical-equipment communication apparatus, an informationcommunication apparatus and a computer-readable recording medium with acommunication control program according to the present invention whichare capable of shortening the interval of time from the generation of acontrol request in the information communication apparatus to thetransfer of information to the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus, and providing information or executing control in real time.The present invention is useful as an information transfer system, aninformation transfer method, an electrical-equipment communicationapparatus, an information communication apparatus, a computer-readablerecording medium with a communication control program and the like whichallow a server that an information provider or the like has to transferinformation via an information network to an information panel, or whichtransfer information via the information network so that the server cancontrol the information panel itself, electrical equipment connected tothe information panel or electrical equipment communicable to theinformation panel, or so that it can monitor their state.

1. An information transfer system comprising: an electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus operable to communicate with electricalequipment; and an information communication apparatus communicablyconnected, via a network, to the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus, wherein the electrical-equipment communication apparatusincludes a transmitting and receiving means for transmitting andreceiving information, via the network, to and from the informationcommunication apparatus, wherein the information communication apparatusincludes: a transmitting and receiving means for transmitting andreceiving information, via the network, to and from theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus; and a trigger generatingmeans for generating a communication request trigger for requestingcommunication with the electrical-equipment communication apparatus,wherein the transmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus periodically transmits periodically-transmittedinformation including an address identifying a position, on the network,of the electrical-equipment communication apparatus, the address beingsequentially switched, and the periodically-transmitted informationbeing periodically transmitted to and received by the informationcommunication apparatus based on a connectionless-type protocol,wherein, the transmitting and receiving means of the informationcommunication apparatus receives the periodically-transmittedinformation, and when the communication request trigger is generated bythe trigger generating means, transmits request information based on theconnectionless-type protocol, to a transmission-origin address of theperiodically-transmitted information, the request information indicatinga request for obtaining, from the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus, state information indicating a state of theelectrical-equipment at a time when the communication request trigger isgenerated, wherein the transmitting and receiving means of theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus receives the requestinformation transmitted by the transmitting and receiving means of theinformation communication apparatus, and transmits request-confirmationinformation based on the connection-type protocol to the informationcommunication apparatus, the request-confirmation information indicatingthe state of the electrical-equipment, and wherein the transmitting andreceiving means of the information communication apparatus receives therequest-confirmation information transmitted by the transmitting andreceiving means of the electrical-equipment communication apparatus, andtransmits the request-response information based on the connection-typeprotocol to the transmission-origin address of the request-confirmationinformation, the request-response information indicating a content of acontrol for the electrical-equipment included in thecommunication-request trigger generated by the trigger generating means.2. The information transfer system according to claim 1, wherein thetransmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus receives the request-response information, andtransmits result information based on the connection-type protocol tothe transmission-origin address of the request-response information. 3.The information transfer system according to claim 1, wherein theinformation communication apparatus includes a server communicablyconnected, via the network, to the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus.
 4. The information transfer system according to claim 1,wherein: the information communication apparatus includes a servercommunicably connected, via the network, to the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus, and includes an information terminalcommunicably connected, via the network, to the server; the informationterminal includes a transmitting means for transmitting thecommunication request trigger to the server; the server includes atransmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receivinginformation, via the network, to and from the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus; the transmitting and receiving means of theserver receives the periodically-transmitted information, and, whenreceiving the communication request trigger, the transmitting andreceiving means of the server transmits the request information based onthe connectionless-type protocol, to the transmission-origin address ofthe periodically-transmitted information, the request informationindicating the request for obtaining, from the electrical-equipmentapparatus, the state information indicating the state of theelectrical-equipment at the time when the communication request triggeris generated; the transmitting and receiving means of theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus receives the requestinformation transmitted by the transmitting and receiving means of theserver, and transmits the request-confirmation information transmittedbased on the connection-type protocol to the server, therequest-confirmation information indicating the state of theelectrical-equipment; and the transmitting and receiving means of theserver receives the request-confirmation information transmitted by thetransmitting and receiving means of the electric-equipment communicationapparatus, and transmits the request-response information based on theconnection-type protocol to the transmission-origin address of therequest-confirmation information, the request-response informationindicating the content of the control for the electrical-equipmentincluded in the communication-request trigger generated by the triggergenerating means.
 5. The information transfer system according to claim4, wherein the transmitting and receiving means of the server receivesresult information, and transmits the result information as a resultsignal to the information terminal.
 6. The information transfer systemaccording to claim 1, wherein, at a time the transmitting and receivingmeans of the information communication apparatus receives theperiodically-transmitted information, the transmitting and receivingmeans of the information communication apparatus transmits confirmationinformation based on (i) the connectionless-type protocol or (ii) theconnection-type protocol, to the transmission-origin address of theperiodically-transmitted information.
 7. The information transfer systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the transmitting and receiving means ofthe electrical-equipment communication apparatus receives (i) therequest-response information based on the connectionless-type protocolor (ii) request information based on the connectionless-type protocol,transmitted by the transmitting and receiving means of the informationcommunication apparatus, and at a time of receiving the request-responseinformation or the request information, the transmitting and receivingmeans of the electrical-equipment communication apparatus transmitsconfirmation information based on (i) the connectionless-type protocolor (ii) the connection-type protocol.
 8. The information transfer systemaccording to claim 1, wherein: the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus is incorporated into the electrical equipment; and theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus controls the electricalequipment when the transmitting and receiving means of theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus receives therequest-response information based on (i) the connection-type protocolor (ii) the connectionless-type protocol.
 9. The information transfersystem according to claim 8, wherein when a state of theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus or the state of theelectrical equipment changes, the transmitting and receiving means ofthe electrical-equipment communication apparatus transmits changeinformation associated with the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus or the electrical equipment to the transmission-origin addressof the request-response information based on (i) the connection-typeprotocol or (ii) the connectionless-type protocol.
 10. The informationtransfer system according to claim 1, wherein: the electrical equipmentincludes a transmitting and receiving means for transmitting andreceiving information to and from the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus; and the transmitting and receiving means of theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus receives therequest-response information based on (i) the connection-type protocolor (ii) the connectionless-type protocol, and, at a time of receivingthe request-response information, the transmitting and receiving meansof the electrical-equipment communication apparatus transmits a controlsignal to the transmitting and receiving means of the electricalequipment.
 11. The information transfer system according to claim 10,wherein: the transmitting and receiving means of the electricalequipment transmits change information indicating a change in the stateof the electrical equipment or a state of the electrical equipmentcommunication apparatus, the change information being transmitted to thetransmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus; and when the state of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus or the electrical equipment changes, thetransmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus transmits the change information associated withthe electrical-equipment communication apparatus or the electricalequipment to the transmission-origin address of the request-responseinformation based on (i) the connection-type protocol or (ii) theconnectionless-type protocol.
 12. The information transfer systemaccording to claim 1, wherein according to a time from an establishmentof a session to an opening of the session, the transmitting andreceiving means of the electrical-equipment communication apparatus setsa time interval from the transmission of the periodically-transmittedinformation to a next transmission of the periodically-transmittedinformation.
 13. The information transfer system according to claim 1,wherein the transmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus detects a time from an establishment of asession to an opening of the session, and, if the time is shorter than apredetermined time, then the transmitting and receiving means of theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus notifies theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus or the informationcommunication apparatus that the time is shorter than the predeterminedtime.
 14. An information transfer method in which anelectrical-equipment communication apparatus communicates withelectrical equipment, and an information communication apparatus iscommunicably connected, via a network, to the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus, the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus including a transmitting and receiving means for transmittingand receiving information, via the network, to and from the informationcommunication apparatus, the information communication apparatusincluding a transmitting and receiving means for transmitting andreceiving information, via the network, to and from theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus and including a triggergenerating means for generating a communication request trigger forrequesting communication with the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus, the information transfer method comprising: a firsttransmitting step, for the transmitting and receiving means of theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus, to periodically transmitperiodically-transmitted information including an address identifying aposition, on the network, of the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus, the address being sequentially switched, and theperiodically-transmitted information being periodically transmitted, tothe information communication apparatus, based on a connectionless-typeprotocol; a first receiving step, for the transmitting and receivingmeans of the information communication apparatus, to receive theperiodically-transmitted information periodically transmitted based on aconnectionless-type protocol; a trigger generating step for, the triggergenerating means, to generate the communication request trigger; asecond transmitting step, for the transmitting and receiving means ofthe information communication apparatus, to transmit request informationbased on the connectionless-type protocol to a transmission-originaddress of the periodically-transmitted information when thecommunication request trigger is generated in the trigger generatingstep, the request information indicating a request for obtaining fromthe electrical-equipment communication apparatus, state informationindicating a state of the electrical-equipment at a time when thecommunication request trigger is generated; a second receiving step, forthe transmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus, to receive the request information transmittedby the transmitting and receiving means of the information communicationapparatus; a third transmitting step, for the transmitting and receivingmeans of the electrical-equipment communication apparatus, to transmitrequest-confirmation information based on the connection-type protocol,to the information communication apparatus, the request-confirmationinformation indicating the state of the electrical-equipment; a thirdreceiving step, for the transmitting and receiving means of theinformation communication apparatus, to receive the request-confirmationinformation transmitted by the transmitting and receiving means of theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus; and a fourth transmittingstep, for the transmitting and receiving means of the informationcommunication apparatus, to transmit request-response information basedon the connection-type protocol to a transmission-origin address of therequest-confirmation information, the request-response informationindicating a content of a control for the electrical-equipment includedin the communication-request trigger generated by the trigger generatingmeans.
 15. An electrical-equipment communication apparatus communicablyconnected, via a network, to an information communication apparatusincluding a transmitting and receiving means for transmitting andreceiving information, via the network, and including a triggergenerating means for generating a communication request trigger forrequesting communication, the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus comprising: a transmitting and receiving means fortransmitting and receiving information, via the network, to and from theinformation communication apparatus, wherein the transmitting andreceiving means of the electrical-equipment communication apparatusperiodically transmits periodically-transmitted information including anaddress identifying a position, on the network, of theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus, the address beingsequentially switched, and the periodically-transmitted informationbeing periodically transmitted, to the information communicationapparatus, based on a connectionless-type protocol, and wherein, afterthe communication request trigger is generated, the transmitting andreceiving means of the electrical-equipment communication apparatus (i)receives request information based on the connectionless-type protocoltransmitted to a transmission-origin address of theperiodically-transmitted information by the transmitting and receivingmeans of the information communication apparatus, the requestinformation indicating a request for obtaining, from theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus, state informationindicating a state of the electrical-equipment at a time when thecommunication request trigger is generated, (ii) transmitsrequest-confirmation information based on the connection-type protocolto the information communication apparatus, the request-confirmationinformation indicating the state of the electrical-equipment, and (iii)receives request-response information based on the connection-typeprotocol transmitted by the transmitting and receiving means of theinformation communication apparatus to the transmission-origin addressof the request-confirmation information, the request-responseinformation indicating a content of a control for theelectrical-equipment included in the communication-request triggergenerated by the trigger generating means.
 16. An informationcommunication apparatus communicably connected, via a network, to anelectrical-equipment communication apparatus including a transmittingand receiving means for transmitting and receiving information via thenetwork, the information communication apparatus comprising: atransmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receivinginformation, via the network, to and from the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus; and a trigger generating means for generating acommunication request trigger for requesting communication with theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus, wherein the transmittingand receiving means of the information communication apparatus receivesperiodically-transmitted information including an address identifying aposition, on the network, of the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus, the address being sequentially switched, and theperiodically-transmitted information being periodically transmitted,from the transmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus, based on a connectionless-type protocol, andwherein, when the communication request trigger is generated by thetrigger generating means, the transmitting and receiving means of theinformation communication apparatus (i) transmits request informationbased on the connectionless-type protocol to a transmission-originaddress of the periodically-transmitted information, the requestinformation indicating a request for obtaining, from theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus, state informationindicating a state of the electrical-equipment at a time when thecommunication request trigger is generated, (ii) receivesrequest-confirmation information based on the connection-type protocoltransmitted by the transmitting and receiving means of theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus, the request-confirmationinformation indicating the state of the electrical-equipment and (iii)transmits request-response information based on the connection-typeprotocol to the transmission-origin address of the request-confirmationinformation, the request-response information indicating a content of acontrol for the electrical-equipment included in thecommunication-request trigger generated by the trigger generating means.17. A computer-readable recording medium having a communication controlprogram recorded thereon, the communication control program forcontrolling an electrical-equipment communication apparatus communicablyconnected, via a network, to an information communication apparatusincluding a transmitting and receiving means for transmitting andreceiving information, via the network, and including a triggergenerating means for generating a communication request trigger forrequesting communication, the communication control program causing theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus to execute a methodcomprising: transmitting and receiving information, via the network, toand from the information communication apparatus; periodicallytransmitting periodically-transmitted information including an addressidentifying a position, on the network, of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus, the address being sequentially switched, andthe periodically-transmitted information being periodically transmitted,to the information communication apparatus, based on aconnectionless-type protocol; and after the communication requesttrigger is generated, receiving request information based on theconnectionless-type protocol transmitted to a transmission-originaddress of the periodically-transmitted information by the transmittingand receiving means of the information communication apparatus, therequest information indicating a request for obtaining, from theelectrical equipment communication apparatus, state informationindicating a state of the electrical-equipment at a time when thecommunication request trigger is generated, transmittingrequest-confirmation information based on the connection-type protocolto the information communication apparatus, the request-confirmationinformation indicating the state of the electrical-equipment, andreceiving request-response information based on the connection-typeprotocol transmitted to the transmission-origin address of therequest-confirmation information by the transmitting and receiving meansof the information communication apparatus, the request-responseinformation indicating a content of a control for theelectrical-equipment included in the communication-request triggergenerated by the trigger generating means.
 18. A computer-readablerecording medium having a communication control program recordedthereon, the communication control program for controlling aninformation communication apparatus communicably connected, via anetwork, to an electrical-equipment communication apparatus including atransmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receivinginformation, via the network, the communication control program causingthe information communication apparatus to execute a method comprising:transmitting and receiving information, via the network, to and from theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus; generating a communicationrequest trigger for requesting communication with theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus; receivingperiodically-transmitted information including an address identifying aposition, on the network, of the electrical-equipment communicationapparatus, the address being sequentially switched, and theperiodically-transmitted information being periodically transmitted,from the transmitting and receiving means of the electrical-equipmentcommunication apparatus, based on a connectionless-type protocol; andwhen the communication request trigger is generated, transmittingrequest information based on the connectionless-type protocol to atransmission-origin address of the periodically-transmitted information,the request information indicating a request for obtaining, from theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus, state informationindicating a state of the electrical-equipment at a time when thecommunication request trigger is generated, receivingrequest-confirmation information, based on the connection-type protocol,transmitted by the transmitting and receiving means of theelectrical-equipment communication apparatus, the request-confirmationinformation indicating the state of the electrical-equipment, andtransmitting request-response information based on the connection-typeprotocol to the transmission-origin address of the request-confirmationinformation, the request-response information indicating a content of acontrol for the electrical-equipment included in thecommunication-request trigger generated by the trigger generating means.